Measles

• The CDC is ending its federal measles diagnostic testing program, shifting the responsibility for these tests to state laboratories. • While state labs already handle the majority of measles testing, critics are alarmed that the loss of federal oversight could impact surveillance and response times. • This policy shift reflects a transition toward decentralized public health monitoring, though concerns remain regarding the consistency of testing capabilities across different states.

• Opinion writers for KFF Health News address critical public health concerns, including the loss of the United States' measles-eliminated status and the safety of sunscreen. • One contributor argues that the U.S. can no longer claim to have eliminated measles due to recent outbreaks and declining vaccination rates. • The collection also features a political perspective questioning the security of the pharmaceutical supply chain and the influence of Chinese Communist Party-controlled companies on prescription refills.

• A CIDRAP op-ed argues that the United States has officially lost its status as a measles-eliminated country, asserting that current outbreaks represent continuous internal spread rather than isolated reintroductions. • The author criticizes the use of cautious phrasing by health officials, noting that the evidence from the virus itself confirms a failure to maintain elimination. • This shift is critical because it signals a breakdown in public health defenses, highlighted by a staggering 26% case-fatality rate in a recent outbreak.

• Two new reports, including one from the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, analyze the difficulties in containing recent measles outbreaks within the U.S. • The studies focus on a major outbreak that began on October 2, 2025, in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, marking the largest U.S. outbreak since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. • Researchers identified complex social and cultural barriers that hinder essential public health efforts, specifically vaccination, testing, and education.

• As of June 18, 2026, a measles outbreak in the U.S. has reached 2,104 confirmed cases across 41 different jurisdictions. • The CDC has issued a warning that increased summer travel may accelerate the spread of the virus, posing a significant risk to families. • This surge highlights a critical public health challenge as officials urge vaccination and awareness to contain the outbreak.

• Declining vaccination rates have led to a resurgence of measles, prompting biotech companies and researchers to seek pharmaceutical treatments for the disease. • Dr. Plemper of Georgia State University is working on a drug that could potentially be used off-label to treat measles patients if approved. • Experts, including Dr. Mina, emphasize that while new treatments are necessary to prevent deaths, widespread vaccination remains the only effective way to stop the outbreaks.

London, the east of England and the West Midlands have highest number of cases, as UKHSA urges families to get children vaccinatedTwo children in England have died from measles, health officials say, as data shows more than 100 new reported cases in the last fortnight.The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Thursday that two children had died this year, one from “acute measles” and the other from the “late effects of measles”. Continue reading...