The United States is on track to lose its measles elimination status, with 1,136 confirmed cases reported nationwide in 2026, according to data released February 27 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This surge in cases coincides with a period of declining vaccination rates and a shift in federal messaging that experts say is undermining global efforts to control the highly contagious virus.
Six European countries – the United Kingdom, Spain, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan – have already lost their measles elimination status, the World Health Organization announced in late January. Health officials attribute this reversal to falling vaccination rates, with the UK reporting only 84% of five-year-olds having received both recommended doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine as of 2024.
The US government, under the leadership of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has amplified anti-vaccine rhetoric, signaling a diminished commitment to measles eradication. Kennedy, previously known for his perform with the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense, has promoted debunked claims linking vaccines to autism, a theory originating from a retracted 1998 study by Andrew Wakefield. The Center for Countering Digital Hate has reported that the “Anti-Vaxx industry” generates at least $36 million annually.
Experts warn that the US stance is having a ripple effect internationally. “The rhetoric that happens in the United States spills over across borders to other countries,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University. “We live in a global ecosystem, so when they hear, well, [the vaccine is] not quality enough for the Americans, maybe it’s not good for us either.”
Canada lost its measles elimination status in November of last year, and Mexico’s status is also considered threatened, raising concerns about increased international transmission. Measles outbreaks are currently reported in 28 US jurisdictions: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
A significant blow to global measles surveillance came with the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw funding from the Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network (GMRLN), coordinated by the World Health Organization. Dr. Alonzo Plough, chief science officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, explained that the GMRLN historically played a crucial role in detecting outbreaks and containing travel-related transmission. Without consistent funding, the network of nearly 800 international labs faces potential collapse.
“Viruses don’t know borders,” Plough said, emphasizing the importance of international coordination in combating highly contagious diseases like measles. He noted a past “network of protection” built on partnerships with the CDC and organizations like the Pan American Health Organization.
The Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to specific questions regarding Kennedy’s vaccine stance or the status of the GMRLN. A spokesperson stated that the department is “working with the White House in a deliberative, interagency process on the path forward for global health and foreign assistance that first and foremost protects Americans.”
The WHO has stated that without funding for the GMRLN, “there is no global network” and that “the high-quality laboratory surveillance provided by GMRLN will be severely compromised if not completely lost, putting Member States at very high risk of not detecting and timely containing outbreaks.” It remains unclear whether the GMRLN continues to operate at full capacity.
Nuzzo expressed concern that a shift in public perception has led to complacency regarding measles, with some individuals considering natural infection as an acceptable alternative. She warned that measles is a serious disease that can cause long-term health effects and weaken the immune system. “We’ve entered an era where people’s fears around measles have relaxed,” Nuzzo said. “Listen, this is a bad disease. You do not want to get this disease.”
Nuzzo fears the US is now “exporting” misinformation about measles vaccines, increasing global vulnerability.
