US reportedly loses measles elimination status after 26 years as cases pass 5,400 in 2026

The United States has reportedly lost its measles elimination status after 26 years, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), losing the status means measles is spreading continuously within the US again, with the same chain of transmission persisting for at least 12 months. KFF Health News separately reported the decision, citing researchers with direct knowledge of the deliberations, and said PAHO had planned to announce the determination publicly on Tuesday, Nov. 17.

The country had held elimination status since 2000. Isolated cases and shorter outbreaks can still occur without forfeiting that status.

PAHO's independent regional verification commission reviewed countries' elimination status during its Nov. 10-13 meeting in Washington, D.C.

The US reported 5,412 confirmed measles cases in 2026 through Nov. 12, more than double the 2,289 cases reported in all of 2025, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Stephanie Widmer, a New York City-based emergency medicine physician and Fox News medical contributor, called the loss of status a “public health setback.” She said measles is not just a childhood rash and can cause pneumonia, brain inflammation, permanent neurological damage and death.

Widmer said losing elimination status does not mean the vaccine stopped working; it means there is no longer enough protection in some communities to prevent sustained transmission. She said infants too young to be vaccinated and people with compromised immune systems are paying the price for gaps in community immunity.

The American Academy of Family Physicians said in a statement that the loss signals the virus is spreading continuously and too many people remain unprotected. It said this does not mean the MMR vaccine has stopped working, and that confidence in the safety and efficacy of life-saving public health tools must be restored.

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, said the change reflects transmission within the country, not only spread due to travel from overseas. He called for health authorities to send vaccine trucks and clinics to areas where vaccine noncompliance is highest.

Measles is highly contagious, infecting up to nine in 10 people without immunity who are close to an infected person, the CDC states. The virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after that person leaves.

Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine have been shown to be about 97% effective at preventing the disease. The CDC recommends children receive two doses, the first at 12 to 15 months and the second at 4 to 6 years. Most adults without evidence of immunity need one dose, while certain higher-risk adults need two, according to the agency.

The AAFP said restoring elimination status requires an organized and sustained response, including increased support for state and local health departments, timelier surveillance and communications, clear information for families and an easier path to vaccination. Fox News Digital reached out to PAHO and the US Department of Health and Human Services for comment.