The United States is on the brink of surpassing last year’s total measles cases, with 2,170 cases reported as of July 2, according to the CDC. The outbreaks have spread to 39 states, the District of Columbia, and New York City.

Utah’s Largest Outbreak

Utah is currently experiencing the largest active outbreak, with over 680 people sickened, including more than 500 infections this year. The outbreak began in an isolated community along the Arizona border in June 2025 and has since spread into nearly every county in the state.

Utah state epidemiologist Leisha Nolen worries that new introductions of the disease could reignite the outbreak when schools reopen. A genetic analysis suggests the true number of Utah’s cases is probably four times higher, Nolen said.

Vaccination Rates Decline

Vaccination rates have fallen across the country since the pandemic, with only 92.5% of kindergartners having received the measles vaccine in the 2024-2025 school year. In Utah, only 88.6% of kindergartners had received the MMR vaccine for the 2024-2025 school year.

The decline in vaccination rates has led to a rise in vaccine-preventable diseases, including pertussis, or whooping cough. UCHealth, the largest health system in Colorado, has already confirmed 168 pertussis cases in the first six months of 2026.

Health Departments Stretched

Health departments are struggling to keep up with the outbreaks, with recent federal funding cuts leaving many departments with fewer people to do critical work. Despite the rapid resurgence in measles activity, outbreak control capacity of health departments in the US has not recovered or expanded.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.