Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease Statement on Historic Rise in U.S. Measles Cases

July 9, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) The Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease (PFID) has released the following statement in response to the U.S. reaching a 33-year high in measles cases:

“The U.S. needed less than seven months this year to break a record it never should have, totaling 1,288 confirmed measles cases for 2025. That’s the most U.S. measles cases in a year since 1992 and most since the disease was declared nationally eradicated in 2000. Experts caution the actual count is likely much larger than the confirmed total.

“The high case count represents an alarming low in today’s fight against vaccine-preventable disease. The rise in misleading claims about vaccine safety and benefits and resulting skepticism have spurred a dangerous decline in the country’s immunization rate, contributing to this dangerous inflection point.

“According to the CDC, 92 out of every 100 people infected by measles in 2025 have been unvaccinated or unsure of their vaccination status. That’s how it’s contracted, spread, and most severe. None of the three Americans who have died from measles this year, including two school-age girls in Texas, were vaccinated. Those who forgo the MMR vaccine, particularly for their children, risk complications far more severe than just a rash or fever.

“This year is far from over, and as it continues, so too will the number of measles cases in the U.S. As infections and severe outcomes persist, we call on health leaders and policymakers to encourage people to protect themselves and others through vaccination. The science supporting the benefits of vaccination is clear, particularly for measles, as the recommended two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective at preventing infection.

“We do not need more infections, hospitalizations, or deaths to demonstrate the clear risks of remaining unvaccinated and contracting measles.  We also must reject attempts to undermine the childhood immunization schedule. A less vaccinated America is a more vulnerable America.”

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