The United States has lost its measles elimination status, researchers with knowledge of the decision confirmed to CBS News partner KFF Health News on Saturday.
asserted
researchers → lose → Saturday
The decision from the Pan American Health Organization came after the U.S. recorded over
so far this year — more than double last year's total.
asserted
U.S. → come → total
The Pan American Health Organization is a regional office for the World Health Organization, covering North and South America.
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Organization → cover → America
The agency is set to hold a news conference on Tuesday.
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agency → set → Tuesday
A country is considered as having eliminated the measles if there are "no locally transmitted measles infections or outbreaks lasting 12 months or longer," according to the World Health Organization.
uncertain
country → consider → Organization
The United States did not meet that standard for the first time since 2000.
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States → meet → 2000
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about a third of this year's measles cases are linked to outbreaks that began in 2025 and continue to spread.
uncertain
that → accord → 2025
After a 30-year record of
, the CDC has tallied 5,412 cases to date in 2026, resulting in more than 590 hospitalizations and at least six measles-related deaths, with some states reporting additional fatalities.
asserted
states → tally → fatalities
The biggest outbreak has been in Pennsylvania, where state health officials have reported more than 1,500 cases and seven deaths associated with the disease this year.
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officials → report → disease
New York and Wisconsin have each reported one death.
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York → report → death
Measles cases have been confirmed so far this year in 45 states and Washington, D.C.
What does it mean to lose measles elimination status?
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it → confirm → status
A country or region loses its measles elimination status once its
lowers enough that the disease's spread can be sustained, CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Céline Gounder explained.
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Gounder → lose → enough
When a country has measles elimination status and a high rate of vaccination, a case of measles or small outbreak will soon fizzle out.
asserted
case → have → measles
But when there are this many gaps in the population's immunity, there can be "ongoing chains of transmission," Gounder said.
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Gounder → be → transmission
"It means that we're at risk of being exposed to measles and getting measles if we're not vaccinated," Gounder said.
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Gounder → mean → measles
"It means ERs and pediatricians need to consider measles in anyone with a fever and rash, whether they've traveled overseas or not.
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they → mean → fever
And we may now become an exporter of measles to other countries."
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we → become → countries
Dr. Omer Awan, a trained epidemiologist and senior public health contributor for Forbes, said that the loss of measles elimination status is a setback to the nation's public health infrastructure.
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loss → train → infrastructure
"It's frustrating and heartbreaking ... because we have the tools to fight this.
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we → have → this
The tool is the MMR vaccine, which we know is 97% effective at preventing the onset of measles," Awan said.
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Awan → know → measles
"It'd be one thing if we didn't have the tools to fight this, but the tools are at our disposal, we just aren't using the tools that can help us mitigate the spread and beat measles.
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us → have → measles
"
How can the U.S. regain measles elimination status?
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U.S. → regain → status
A country earns measles elimination status by ensuring there is no local spread of the disease or outbreaks that last for more than a year.
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that → earn → year
PAHO says that the best way to maintain the elimination of measles is maintaining a vaccination rate of 95% or higher.
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way → say → %
Countries should also have sensitive surveillance systems to detect cases quickly, laboratory capacity and a guaranteed .
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Countries → have → cases
Data about these trends must be submitted to and verified by the organization.
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Data → submit → organization
For the U.S. to curb outbreaks and regain measles elimination status, it needs to return to higher rates of vaccination, Awan said.
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Awan → curb → vaccination
He said
and ramping up would be key to that effort.
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ramping → say → effort
Data shows childhood
in around the U.S. in recent years, often to help ward off measles outbreaks.
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Data → show → outbreaks
Gounder also noted that lawmakers can create policies that lead to
."States
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that → note → policies
Nine states made opting out of vaccination easier in 2025.
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opting → make → 2025
States ending nonmedical exemptions saw kindergarten vaccination rise 2 to 4 points," Gounder said.
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Gounder → end → exemptions
"Most legislatures reconvene in January.
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legislatures → reconvene → January
Your state lawmakers will write next year's exemption rules."
Measles in the U.S.
The United States started collecting national data on measles in 1912, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
uncertain
States → write → Control
About 6,000 measles-related deaths were reported each year in the first decade of that data collection.
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deaths → relate → collection
In the decade between 1953 and 1963, nearly all children in the U.S. caught measles before they turned 15, with an estimated 3 to 4 million people infected each year and tens of thousands hospitalized, according to the CDC.
uncertain
thousands → catch → CDC
In those years, 400 to 500 people, mostly children, died of measles annually.
asserted
people → die → measles
The numbers began a sharp decline and several generations of Americans grew up without ever encountering measles.
asserted
generations → begin → measles
By 1981, reported measles cases had dropped by 80% compared to the previous year, the CDC said.
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CDC → report → year
The country was officially declared as having eliminated measles in 2000.
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country → declare → 2000
…and 17 more, not listed.
The Aporia
