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‘World’s most contagious disease’ on track for highest US cases in 35 years - doc warns: ‘We are allowing it to spread’
AOL.com • • health
Key Points:
- Measles cases in the US are at their highest in 35 years, with 2,134 confirmed cases as of June 25, 2026, nearing last year's total of 2,288 and expected to surpass it soon.
- The disease, highly contagious and capable of lingering in the air for hours, poses serious health risks including pneumonia, encephalitis, hospitalization, and death, especially among children and vulnerable populations.
- Vaccination rates have declined, with 93% of cases occurring in unvaccinated or unknown vaccination status individuals, and outbreaks are primarily domestic rather than imported.
- States like Utah and South Carolina are experiencing significant outbreaks due to low vaccination coverage, highlighting the need for maintaining a 95% vaccination rate to prevent spread.
- Experts emphasize that measles elimination requires sustained high vaccination coverage, rapid outbreak detection, and strong public health responses, but the situation is recoverable with renewed efforts.
