JONATHAN M. METSCH, Dr.P.H. – Tracking Emerging Public Health Challenges – May 17. 2026 – Measles
As of May 7, 2026, 1,842 confirmed measles cases have been reported in the United States this year, including cases in 37 states and the District of Columbia. This is the highest number of measles cases in the US in 35 years. Ninety-two percent of reported cases occurred among individuals who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown.
Because measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000, many clinicians and public health professionals working today have limited firsthand experience with the disease.
Measles can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and death. About 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the US who get measles will be hospitalized, and 1–3 out of every 1,000 will die, even with the best care.
“This is a preventable crisis,” said infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist Ruth Lynfield, MD, who co-organized the summit. “Measles outbreaks would not be occurring if vaccination rates were higher. As a result, healthcare professionals, public health leaders, and others on the front lines are confronting a disease many have never seen in practice.”
The summit identified priority needs, including
Updated clinical guidance and education incorporating emerging research on the clinical impact and long-term complications of measles infection, and considerations for pregnancy, neonatal, and pediatric care;
Readily accessible, actionable resources and decision-support tools for healthcare professionals across settings responding to measles cases, from schools and urgent care centers to clinics and hospitals;
Updated healthcare system preparedness and infection control approaches informed by lessons learned from recent outbreaks and applicable across healthcare settings;
State and local public health resources for outbreak response and case management tailored to the needs and realities of affected communities;
Protocols for following measles cases and understanding the long-term complications;
Communication approaches that incorporate community voices so that healthcare and public health professionals can work together to address local questions and concerns, educate about the impact of measles and underscore the importance of immunization in protecting children and families from measles” (1)
“The Bangladesh Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) recorded 1,105 new suspected measles cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 51, 567 through today. Health officials report 7,024 confirmed measles cases since Mar 15.
Nine additional children died from measles, bringing the total number of confirmed (68) and suspected (356) measles deaths to 424.” (2)
(1)Help Healthcare Professionals Address Ongoing Outbreaks,https://www.nfid.org/measles-summit-convenes-to-help-healthcare-professionals-address-ongoing-outbreaks/
(2).Bangladesh measles outbreak top 50,000 total cases since mid-March, Robert Herriman, https://outbreaknewstoday.substack.com/p/bangladesh-measles-outbreak-top-50000
curated by Jonathan M. Metsch, Dr.P.H.
Clinical Professor of Environmental Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai