The number of measles cases reported in the U.S. in a single week exceeded 90 for the first time since the record-breaking 2019 outbreak, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday.
Ninety-one cases of the rash-inducing illness with onset dates during the week starting March 23 were reported, as Arkansas, Hawaii, and Indiana joined a list of 20 states with confirmed measles infections.
During the week of March 30, 81 cases were recorded, followed by 21 additional cases the following week. These numbers are expected to rise as more cases are confirmed. So far this year, at least 712 measles cases have been reported nationwide—the second-highest annual tally since the 1990s. In 1990, nearly 30,000 cases were reported, largely due to low vaccination rates. In 2019, the U.S. recorded 1,274 confirmed measles cases.
The CDC announced seven active local outbreaks of the virus on Friday, up from six the previous week. The largest outbreak remains in Texas and neighboring New Mexico, where cases have reached approximately 600. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. compared U.S. measles figures to Europe’s, where thousands of cases and more deaths have been reported in recent years due to significant vaccination gaps.
While measles outbreaks have been declared eliminated in the Americas, officials warn that this year’s surge threatens that public health achievement.
During a White House Cabinet meeting, Kennedy told President Trump, “We’re trying to refocus the media’s attention. We’ve had three measles deaths in this country over 20 years, yet we need to highlight the epidemic of chronic diseases.”
A CDC official, unauthorized to speak publicly, cautioned against interpreting the recent slowdown in cases as definitive, noting that delays in identifying and reporting outbreaks could distort the data. Weekly measles counts often appear lower in recent weeks due to reporting lags, they explained.
In a message to health departments this week, the CDC advised some travelers to Texas and Kansas to receive a second or early dose of the measles vaccine—marking the first time in years the agency has issued such domestic travel-related vaccination guidance. The CDC attributed the current rise in cases to “international travelers returning with measles and its spread in communities with low vaccination coverage in Texas and other states.”
A CDC spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment on new outbreaks, though the agency previously confirmed cases in Texas, New Mexico, New Jersey, Georgia, Ohio, and Kansas.
This update follows Health Secretary Kennedy’s remarks on Thursday defending the administration’s outbreak response as successful, despite a third death linked to measles in an unvaccinated American. “Our national numbers have now stabilized, and I thank the CDC for that,” Kennedy stated at the Cabinet meeting.