Image: OPBMeasles outbreak in 2026 driven by waning vaccination rates; 2,213 cases reported last year with three pediatric deaths
• The US measles outbreak has accelerated in 2026 with cases now reported in more than half of the states, marking a resurgence 20 years after official eradication, driven primarily by declining vaccination rates. • Last year, the US reported over 2,000 measles cases (2,213 confirmed) and three pediatric deaths, with the mortality rate matching historical data of approximately one death per 1,000 infected children. • Oregon has diagnosed 13 measles cases so far in 2026 with hundreds of potential exposures in the past week; health experts note that official case counts likely underestimate true infection rates due to unreported cases and undetected transmission indicated by wastewater data.
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