US Measles Cases Rise as Vaccination Rates Continue to Drop

Measles cases are rising in the US due to decreased vaccination rates and vaccine policy shifts, threatening future public health stability.

The measles outbreak in the United States is the highest in over thirty years because of a spreading outbreak in West Texas. Health officials reported over 1,270 cases countrywide by the beginning of July 2025, the highest number since more than 2,100 cases were reported in 1992. With 753 cases confirmed, soon Texas alone could experience the most severe outbreak in decades.

In the United States, measles was eliminated in 2000 with high vaccination rates, but the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the routine vaccinations, and also the anti-vaccine sentiments have grown stronger, leading to decreased vaccination rates. Official case counts, stated by experts, are likely lower than actual numbers.

Director of the vaccine education center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Dr. Paul Offit described the outbreak as "the tip of a far greater iceberg." Baylor College of Medicine's Dr. Peter Hotez called it a "dark epidemic that wasn't supposed to have occurred." Measles spreads fast, and local defense is reduced by decreased vaccination rates.

High temperatures, allergic reactions, and red eyes are some of the common symptoms, but the disease can also cause pneumonia, inflammation of the brain, and even death. Three healthy kids already lost their lives to measles in 2025. MMR vaccination, which is 97% effective after two doses, is the most successful means of avoiding illness. Also the US vaccine policy is shifting at the exact same time as this outbreak. In order to avoid outbreaks in the future, experts stress that vaccination trust must be restored and should combine advanced technology and science with strong public health campaigns.