The U.S. has lost measles elimination status. Here’s what that means and who is most at risk.

Updated on: November 14, 2026 / 11:42 AM EST / CBS News

The United States has lost its measles elimination status, researchers with knowledge of the decision confirmed to CBS News partner KFF Health News on Saturday.

The decision from the Pan American Health Organization came after the U.S. recorded over 5,400 measles cases so far this year — more than double last year's total. The Pan American Health Organization is a regional office for the World Health Organization, covering North and South America. The agency is set to hold a news conference on Tuesday.

A country is considered as having eliminated the measles if there are "no locally transmitted measles infections or outbreaks lasting 12 months or longer," according to the World Health Organization.

The United States did not meet that standard for the first time since 2000. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about a third of this year's measles cases are linked to outbreaks that began in 2025 and continue to spread.

After a 30-year record of 2,242 cases last year, the CDC has tallied 5,412 cases to date in 2026, resulting in more than 590 hospitalizations and at least six measles-related…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/healthwatch/