US measles cases have passed last year’s total, and what to check before you fly abroad

The United States had recorded 3,471 confirmed measles cases this year by 17 September, already more than the 2,289 it recorded in the whole of 2025. Almost all of them — 95% — were part of outbreaks, and 89% were in people who were unvaccinated or whose status was unknown, according to the CDC. For anyone travelling abroad the advice has not changed, but the stakes have: the CDC recommends that everyone aged six months and older be fully protected at least two weeks before departure. Starting from nothing, that takes about six weeks.

How 2026 compares with last year

More cases in eight and a half months than in the whole of 2025. The CDC’s counts show the scale of the change.

On deaths, the CDC’s page says the National Center for Health Statistics does not currently have any death records from 2026. That is a statement about the records available so far, and we are reporting it as exactly that.

Why it matters when you travel

Measles is common in much of the world, and the Americas are no longer officially free of it. The CDC notes that it remains widespread in parts of Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Closer to home, the Pan American Health Organization says the region lost its measles-free status in November 2025, after endemic transmission was re-established in Canada, where the virus had circulated uninterrupted for at least 12 months. PAHO says it will review the status of the United States and Mexico at its commission’s regular meeting in November 2026.

The practical effect is that the risk runs both ways: travellers can bring measles home, and infected travellers can carry it abroad. An airport, a long flight and a crowded destination are exactly the settings where an unprotected person is most exposed.

What the CDC says to do before you go

Two doses of MMR vaccine, completed at least two weeks before departure, for everyone six months and older without evidence of immunity. The schedule depends on age.

Add those together and the lead time is the thing people miss. A traveller with no doses needs 28 days between the first and second, then two weeks before flying — roughly six weeks from the first appointment to the departure gate. That is our arithmetic from the CDC’s schedule, and it is why this belongs on the checklist when you book, not the week before.

How many measles cases are there in the US in 2026?

3,471 confirmed cases as of 17 September 2026, according to the CDC — more than the 2,289 reported in all of 2025.

Do I need a measles vaccine before travelling abroad?

The CDC recommends that everyone aged six months and older without evidence of immunity be fully vaccinated with MMR at least two weeks before international travel.

Can babies get the measles vaccine before travelling?

Yes. The CDC recommends an early dose for infants aged 6 to 11 months who are travelling internationally, followed by the routine doses at 12 to 15 months and 4 to 6 years.

Has the US lost its measles elimination status?

Not as of September 2026. PAHO will review the status of the United States and Mexico in November 2026. The Americas as a region lost its measles-free status in November 2025 because of sustained transmission in Canada.

Sources: CDC, Measles Cases and Outbreaks (data as of 17 September 2026) and Measles: Plan for Travel; Pan American Health Organization, update on the review of measles elimination status, 2 March 2026. This is general information, not medical advice — speak to your own doctor about vaccination.

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