US Measles Surge Sparks Alarm as Outbreaks Spread Nationwide with 1,912 Lab Confirmed Cases
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Dec 11, 2025 1 hour, 1 minute ago
Medical News: Rising Case Numbers Signal a Worsening National Crisis
The United States is facing a rapidly escalating measles emergency as confirmed infections for 2025 have now surged to 1,912, according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The increase of 84 cases in just one week highlights a troubling acceleration at a time when holiday gatherings, winter travel, and crowded indoor events are pushing transmission risks even higher. This
Medical News report underscores the growing concern that current trends may threaten the nation’s long-held measles elimination status. Health officials warn that the United States is at serious risk of losing that elimination status in January 2026 due to persistent transmission linked to the massive West Texas outbreak that began early last year and infected roughly 800 people. The nation first achieved measles elimination in 2000, but ongoing circulation in undervaccinated communities is now placing that achievement in jeopardy.
A fast-expanding measles surge is driving record case counts across multiple US states.
Outbreaks Concentrated in Undervaccinated Regions
This year, 88 percent of all US measles cases are tied to outbreaks, with 47 outbreaks documented so far—nearly triple the 16 outbreaks reported in 2024. Utah, Arizona, and South Carolina currently lead the nation in new activity, with post-Thanksgiving spread driving state totals well past 100 cases each. Schools and churches in undervaccinated communities remain the primary exposure sites.
South Carolina has reported 114 measles cases, with 111 linked to the expanding Upstate outbreak. Officials there have placed 281 students across eight schools under quarantine in an effort to slow further spread.
Utah and Arizona Outbreak Becomes One of the Largest in Recent History
The multistate Utah-Arizona outbreak continues to grow, now reaching 254 confirmed cases. This cluster, which began in the closely connected communities of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, has become the second largest US outbreak of the year, surpassed only by the massive West Texas event.
Arizona alone recorded 21 new cases in the last week, pushing its total to 176. Nearly all infections—except four—occurred in Mohave County, the epicenter of ongoing transmission.
Profile of Infected
CDC data shows that 92 percent of all confirmed patients are either unvaccinated or lack documentation of their vaccination status. Only 3 percent had received one measles-containing vaccine dose, and just 4 percent had completed the recommended two-dose series. The virus continues to cause severe outcomes, including three deaths so far this year. Eleven percent of all patients have required hospitalization, while 21 percent of infected children under five have needed hospital care. These findings show how fragile US measles control has become and why widespread vaccination remains essential to prevent nationwide resurgence.
ng>References:
https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html
https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/south-carolina-upstate-measles-outbreak-8-new-cases-schools-impacted/275-6ab8cf79-93ad-4af5-9390-4bd6c728fbb2
https://www.8newsnow.com/news/arizona-utah-measles-outbreak-slows-slightly-as-case-total-reaches-254/
https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/measles/index.php
For the latest about the measles crisis in the United States, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/measles
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/u-s--medical-news
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