Measles transmission in the United States has reached levels not seen in decades, prompting concerns from health officials. However, the principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ralph Abraham, stated that the loss of the country’s measles elimination status may not be as significant as some fear.
Abraham, a physician and former Louisiana surgeon general, attributed the increase in measles cases to factors such as porous borders and international travel. He emphasized that a country does not lose its measles elimination status solely due to imported cases of the disease. Instead, elimination status is revoked if ongoing transmission of the virus persists for a year or more.
While the CDC is actively assisting states in controlling outbreaks, Abraham acknowledged that some transmission is occurring in communities where parents have chosen not to vaccinate their children. He emphasized the importance of respecting personal freedoms, including the choice to opt out of vaccination, while also highlighting the agency’s commitment to supporting communities in mitigating the impact of measles, especially on children.
In addition to providing support to states, Abraham revealed that he and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have been advocating for measles vaccination. Despite this, vaccine advocates have criticized Kennedy for not being more forceful in promoting vaccination and for perpetuating unfounded fears about vaccine risks.
The press conference coincided with the one-year anniversary of the first confirmed measles case from a large outbreak in West Texas that spread across multiple states, resulting in three deaths in 2025. As of Jan. 14, a total of 2,242 confirmed measles cases had been reported in 2025, marking the highest single-year total since 1991.
Johns Hopkins University’s measles tracker reported 336 confirmed cases in 2026 within just three weeks, surpassing the annual case counts from previous years. The U.S. witnessed a decline in measles cases in the early ’90s following the recommendation of two doses of the MMR vaccine.
Efforts are underway to analyze the genetic sequences of measles viruses to determine the source of ongoing transmission. The U.S. had previously achieved measles elimination status in 2000, but Canada lost its status in November due to a widespread outbreak. The Pan American Health Organization will convene in April to assess whether the U.S. and Mexico have also lost their elimination status.
The CDC is collaborating with academic and state labs to utilize whole genome sequencing for analyzing measles genetic data, a new approach to tracking the spread of the virus. While the situation remains concerning, health officials are dedicated to combating measles outbreaks and safeguarding public health.
