The United States has the highest measles incidence rate since 1992.
The US authorities have recorded the highest incidence of measles in the last 33 years: more than 1.2 thousand confirmed cases have been registered in 38 states and the District of Columbia. This was reported by The Washington Post on July 7.
"The number of cases of infection in the country exceeded the indicator of 2019, reaching the highest level since 1992, when the authorities recorded more than 2.1 thousand cases of infection," the material says.
It is specified that in 2025, at least 155 people were hospitalized, and three died from complications caused by measles. All of them were not vaccinated.
"The largest outbreak has occurred in West Texas, where officials have recorded more than 750 cases since the end of January and believe the true death toll is much higher. According to official data, the outbreak has slowed down, but has spread to neighboring states," the newspaper writes.
Public health experts say that if measles outbreaks continue for more than 12 months, the United States may lose its status as a disease-free country.
"This is a harbinger of things to come <...> As soon as we see an upsurge in measles, we realize that other diseases will follow," said Eric Ball, head of the California branch of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Measles was officially eliminated in the United States in 2000 due to vaccination and rapid outbreak response. Cases of the disease still occurred periodically. They have become more frequent in recent years, especially in tight-knit communities with low vaccination coverage.
WP adds that a recent study has shown that if the vaccination rate in the United States continues to decline, the country could face millions of cases over the next 25 years.
On June 9, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr. dismissed all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is clarified that the current head of American healthcare is a staunch opponent of vaccination.
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