Headline Roundup • July 9th, 2025
US Measles Cases Hit Record High
Summary from the AllSides News Team
US measles cases have hit their highest point since the virus was declared eliminated in 2000, with 1,277 confirmed cases across 38 states and Washington, D.C. in 2025.
The Details: Most of the cases this year were from an outbreak in West Texas, and the majority of those affected were either unvaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown. A 95% vaccination rate is reportedly needed to achieve herd immunity for measles; around 93% of people in the US are vaccinated against the virus. Up to 90% of unvaccinated people contract measles if exposed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
For Context: US vaccination rates have reportedly been declining since 2020, and debates surrounding vaccines amplified with the appointment of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is skeptical of some vaccines and their side effects. A group of medical organizations filed a lawsuit against Kennedy and the HHS last week over recent proposed rollbacks on COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.
How The Media Covered It: News outlets across the political spectrum emphasized the seriousness of the virus and role of the vaccination in controlling it, but outlets on the left tended to frame Kennedy more negatively. The New York Times (Lean Left bias) said Kennedy “downplayed the outbreak, offered only muted support of vaccines and endorsed unproven treatments for the virus,” while Washington Examiner (Lean Right) did not mention Kennedy’s potential role in the case increase. Newsweek (Center) focused more on statistics and the negative effects of polarization on policy improvements.
Revised by the AllSides staff (of humans) after a first draft from our custom AI. Learn more. Support our mission. Suggest an improvement to this summary.
Featured Coverage of this Story
There have now been more measles cases in 2025 than in any other year since the contagious virus was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, according to new data released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The grim milestone represents an alarming setback for the country’s public health and heightens concerns that if childhood vaccination rates do not improve, deadly outbreaks of measles — once considered a disease of the past — will become the new normal.
Experts fear that with no clear end to the...
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
The United States is experiencing its worst measles outbreak since the disease was declared "eliminated" in 2000, with 1,277 confirmed cases reported as of July 5, according to Johns Hopkins University Center for Outbreak Response Innovation.
This figure has already surpassed the 1,274 cases recorded during the peak year of 2019, marking a critical public health milestone reached just halfway through 2025.
Why It Matters
This outbreak directly challenges the nation's measles elimination status, achieved 25 years ago through sustained vaccination efforts...
The United States reached its highest number of measles cases in over 33 years on Monday, hitting 1,277 confirmed cases across 38 states and Washington, D.C.
The country reached the highest number of cases of the vaccine-preventable disease since 1992, when health officials recorded more than 2,100 cases. Measles cases have been on the rise following an outbreak in West Texas earlier this year.
At least 155 people have been hospitalized, and three people have died from measles this year. Around 92% of measles cases this year were in people who were either unvaccinated or whose vaccination status...
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