US sees highest measles cases in 35 years

The United States has recorded its highest number of measles infections in 35 years. This has led the country's Health Secretary, Robert Kennedy, to urge parents to vaccinate their children against this highly contagious disease.

Mr Kennedy made the call during an interview on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday. He said parents must ensure their children get the measles vaccine as cases keep rising across the country.

“Parents should get their children vaccinated for measles. A measles vaccine is effective. It stops measles in about 97 per cent of the cases. People should get vaccinated,” he stated.

His comments came after the US reported 2,371 confirmed measles cases this year. This number is higher than the 2,289 cases recorded in all of 2025. The new figure is the highest annual count since 1991.

This sharp increase shows that the US has had more measles cases in the past two years than all of the 21st century combined. Public health experts are worried that the country might lose its measles elimination status, which it has held since 2000.

Change of Heart

Mr Kennedy’s support for the measles vaccine is a big change from his previous stance. Before he became Health Secretary under President Donald Trump, he was known as a major vaccine sceptic. He often questioned the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and spread misinformation about the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Even after taking office, he kept saying vaccination was a personal choice. He also made false claims about vaccines becoming less effective.

During the interview, he encouraged Americans to get the MMR vaccine, which is the main protection against measles. But he rejected claims that his earlier anti-vaccine views caused the current outbreak.

When asked if he took any responsibility for the rise in infections, Mr Kennedy said, “Absolutely not.” Instead, he blamed the outbreaks on religious communities with low vaccination rates and global health issues.

Scientists Disagree

The interview faced criticism when Mr Kennedy repeated several claims that scientists say have no evidence. He suggested that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Lyme disease came from lab manipulation of pathogens. However, research shows both diseases have natural origins.

He also repeated unproven claims that using Tylenol during pregnancy is linked to autism and questioned how effective Covid-19 vaccines are for children.

Later in the program, Ashish Jha, who was the White House Covid-19 response coordinator under former President Joe Biden, welcomed Mr Kennedy’s support for the MMR vaccine. But he criticized many of Mr Kennedy’s other statements.

Mr Jha stated that the rise in measles cases showed that the government had not done enough to push for vaccinations and educate the public about the risks of the disease.

He emphasized that the administration should do more to encourage people to get vaccinated and explain the dangers of measles.

Rising Alarm

The US has reported 37 measles outbreaks so far this year, putting its measles elimination status at risk. Measles is one of the most contagious viral diseases in the world, but it can be prevented through vaccination. Health authorities say that two doses of the MMR vaccine give about 97 per cent protection against infection.

The rise of measles in the US comes as Nigeria continues to face regular outbreaks of this vaccine-preventable disease. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says measles is still common in the country, with outbreaks reported nearly every year, especially in states with low vaccination rates.

Nigeria also has one of the highest numbers of children who have not received routine vaccines worldwide. This makes ongoing vaccination campaigns very important to prevent outbreaks.