Measles Cases Continue to Rise as Children Prepare to Go Back to School

With school starting within the next few weeks for most children in the US, new CDC data showing childhood vaccination coverage having declined for all reported vaccines is raising concern among experts.

The continuing slide in uptake of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine is particularly troublesome as the US has seen more measles cases in 2025 than any other year since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. As of August 5, a total of 1,356 measles cases were confirmed by CDC across 41 jurisdictions – an increase from only 285 cases in 2024 and 59 in 2023. Additionally, about 286,000 kindergartners attended school during the 2024-25 school year without being completely vaccinated against measles.

What is causing the concern is that measles is one of the most contagious diseases known, with an R₀ value of 18, which means that, on average, one person infected with measles will spread it to 18 others in a susceptible population. As a comparison, COVID-19’s R₀ value is 3 – making measles six times more contagious than COVID-19. Yet, the rate of MMR vaccine uptake during the 2024-25 school year fell to 92.5%, down from 92.7% the previous year and 95.2% in the 2019-20 school year.

Because of its high contagion rate, population immunity against measles requires about 95% of a population to be vaccinated, thus with the US seeing a continuing decline below that level, the disease is on the verge of becoming endemic, putting the country decades behind for this serious disease that has resulted in at least three deaths, two of which were young children.

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Public Health News:

• Routine childhood vaccination rates in the U.S. continue to decline, with the latest CDC data showing falling coverage among kindergartners for all major vaccines, including MMR, DTaP, polio, and varicella. At the same time, vaccine exemption rates have reached a record high of 3.6%, mostly for nonmedical reasons, with 17 states exceeding 5%. The drop in vaccination rates raises concern, especially because of the recent rise in measles cases, which has been the worst year since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000.
• The CDC reports that U.S. measles cases have risen to 1,333 in 2025 with 25 outbreaks and most cases affecting children and teens. Texas alone accounts for over half of the cases. Meanwhile, Canada is facing a much larger outbreak, with 4,206 cases so far, especially in Alberta, where vaccination rates are low and school immunization isn’t mandatory. Alberta has more measles cases than the entire U.S. despite having a far smaller population.
• UN officials warn that 80,000 children in West and Central Africa are at high risk of cholera as the rainy season worsens already dire conditions. Active outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Nigeria are driving cross-border threats, with DRC reporting 38,000 cases and 951 deaths. Children under 5 are especially vulnerable, making up a large portion of cases. Conflict, flooding, and displacement in DRC have crippled sanitation and healthcare, creating a full-scale public health emergency. UNICEF is calling for urgent international support.
• The U.S. Senate has confirmed Susan Monarez, PhD, as the new director of the CDC, making her the first nonphysician to lead the agency in over 70 years. A microbiologist and immunologist, Monarez has a background in government health innovation and previously served as deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. Her work includes efforts to fight antimicrobial resistance and apply AI to improve health outcomes. She was confirmed in a 51-47 party-line vote and is the first CDC director to be Senate-confirmed under a 2023 law.
• A Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Harlem has resulted in 70 confirmed cases and three deaths since July 25, according to the NYC Health Department. The outbreak is concentrated in specific buildings within five ZIP codes in Central Harlem, and officials say it is not expected to spread beyond the area. The source has been linked to 11 cooling towers that tested positive for Legionella pneumophila, and remediation efforts have been completed.