There were 285 new cases of measles in the U.S. in 2024. Measles, also known as rubeola, is an infectious disease that is highly contagious and affects mostly children. Common symptoms of measles include fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, and a rash. Although death rates from measles have decreased around the world, it is still responsible for around 81,000 deaths worldwide per year. Measles vaccination The main reason for the decrease in measles cases and deaths is due to high vaccination rates. The widely used MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella and is safe and effective. In 2023, around 91 percent of adolescents in the U.S. aged 13 to 17 years had received an MMR vaccination. However, in recent years there has been a rise in measles cases in many parts of the world due to vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine hesitancy Vaccine hesitancy refers to a refusal or reluctance to have children vaccinated, despite the overwhelming evidence that vaccines are safe and effective. This hesitancy comes from a misunderstanding of the ingredients in vaccines and how they work, a mistrust of doctors and pharmaceutical companies, and belief in the unfounded associations of vaccines with other diseases and disorders.

In 2023, there were a total of 58 cases of measles in the United States. Around 72 percent of measles cases that year were attributed to unvaccinated individuals. Meanwhile, those with two doses of vaccination only accounted for just three percent of cases. This statistic shows the number of measles cases reported in the United States from 2020 to 2024, by vaccination status.

In 1970, there were 22.79 new cases of measles per 100,000 population in the United States. However, this rate dropped to .08 in the year 2024. This statistic shows the number of new cases of measles per 100,000 population in the United States from 1919 to 2024.

This statistic shows the number of infected persons with measles during the U.S. multi-state outbreak in 2014-2015. The outbreak was linked to a Californian amusement park. In the period between December 28, 2014, and April 10, 2015, 147 persons who became infected with measles were linked to this multi-state outbreak.

Multi-state measles outbreak in 2014-2015

In the United States there are currently 140 people affected by the recent measles outbreak, with the majority of cases in California. Between December 2014 and February 2015, there were also 7 cases in Arizona and 3 in Utah. Cases of measles in the United States are not unheard of, there were 116 cases in 2001 and up to 27,786 cases in 1990. Measles is a highly contagious infection which is characterized by fever, cough, and a red rash that spreads across the body within days of the initial symptoms. In extreme cases, measles can be fatal. The recent outbreak has been associated with a movement among some parents that are refusing to vaccinate their children. This movement prevents the achievement of herd immunity. Many of the people who have contracted the disease were unvaccinated. In a 2011 survey, 67 percent of individuals stated that parents who chose not to vaccinate their children were naïve.

The vaccination can prevent the disease and has decreased global mortality from the measles virus. Worldwide, about 94 percent of 1 year olds in the Americas are vaccinated against measles, compared to 78 percent in Southeast Asia. About 91.9 percent of children between the ages of 19 and 35 months have received the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination in the United States in 2013, up from a low of 86 percent in 1998.

In 1919, there were almost 13 deaths from measles per 100,000 population in the United States. However, this rate had dropped to zero by the year 2021. In early 2025, an outbreak of measles in Texas resulted in the death of a child. This was the first measles death in the United States since 2015. Measles is a highly contagious disease, that is especially dangerous for children. However, vaccines have significantly decreased the rate of cases and deaths in the United States.

As of 2017, around 91.5 percent of children in the U.S. aged 19 to 35 months had been vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). The MMR vaccine is widely used around the world and is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for adults who don’t have immunity and all children.

Measles

The number of cases of measles in the United States has dropped significantly since the introduction of the MMR vaccination. However, there has been a recent increase in measles cases, due to the growth of the vaccine hesitancy movement. Despite claims from this movement, the MMR vaccine is safe and effective. One dose of the MMR vaccine is around 93 percent effective against measles, while two doses is 97 percent effective.

Mumps

The MMR vaccine has resulted in a similar decrease in the rate of mumps cases in the U.S. One dose of the MMR vaccine is 78 percent effective against mumps, while two doses is 88 percent effective. Although the MMR vaccine is safe and effective, like any medicine it can have side effects. Common side effects include fever, a mild rash and temporary joint pain and stiffness.

In 2022, there were three reported cases of measles in Canada, compared to over two thousand cases in 1995. This statistic shows the number of reported cases of measles in Canada from 1930 to 2022.

Although there has been an overall decline in a number of vaccine-preventable diseases in the U.S., the number of pertussis cases has increased since 1980. This statistic shows the number of reported cases of select vaccine-preventable diseases in the U.S. from 1980 to 2022.

Rank, number of deaths, percentage of deaths, and age-specific mortality rates for the leading causes of death, by age group and sex, 2000 to most recent year.

In the year 2000, there were around 3,397 deaths due to measles in Europe. This number dropped to just 222 in 2023. This statistic shows the estimated number of deaths due to measles worldwide in 2000 and 2023, by region.