5,400 Measles Cases: Experts Set to Revoke U.S. and Mexico Elimination Status
A Pan American Health Organization commission will determine if the virus has spread continuously for over a year, a designation lost by Canada last year.
By Pedro Tanaka ·
The United States has recorded 5,400 confirmed measles cases this year, a total that has already doubled the count from 2025. International health officials are currently reviewing genetic data to determine if the virus has been circulating continuously within North America for at least one year. If the data supports sustained transmission, the United States and Mexico will lose their measles elimination status.
A closed-door advisory commission from the Pan American Health Organization, or PAHO, is analyzing the outbreaks that began in 2024. The group is examining whether the same viral strain has been spreading without interruption for 12 months or more. Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, stated that the decision is based solely on genetic evidence. The commission will present its findings to PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, who will make the final determination. An announcement of the results is scheduled for next week.
The U.S. and Mexico originally achieved elimination status in 2000 and 2016, respectively. This status indicates that the virus is no longer spreading continuously within a country's borders. Canada lost this designation last year after similar findings. If the U.S. and Mexico are stripped of the title, it marks a return to a period where the disease is considered endemic rather than rare.
Dr. David Margolius, director of Cleveland's health department, described the potential decision as a move backward for public health. He noted that the determination represents a significant shift in the region's status. CDC Director Erica Schwartz stated this week that the loss of the designation will not change the federal approach to managing outbreaks. She said, "The measles elimination designation is not what protects Americans. Vaccination does."
Vaccination rates in the U.S. have declined in recent years, with the national childhood rate falling to approximately 92% last year. Health experts recommend a 95% threshold to prevent outbreaks when infected travelers enter a community. The current outbreak is driven largely by cases in Pennsylvania. The U.S. has reported 10 measles-associated deaths this year, including two announced on Friday in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. This death count is the highest recorded in more than 30 years.
Mexico is experiencing its own surge, with more than 20,500 confirmed cases reported this week. The country has recorded 50 measles-related deaths, most of which involved children younger than five. Researchers believe a recent outbreak in the Mexican border state of Chihuahua began when an unvaccinated child traveled to Gaines County, Texas, and returned infected.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has recently proposed changes to the childhood vaccination schedule and the structure of the vaccine advisory board. He has also supported an executive order from President Donald Trump that calls for spacing out the administration of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. Medical groups argue that these measures run counter to standard recommendations and could lead to fewer children being fully vaccinated.
