Health

U.S. measles cases top 5,182 as Ohio's tally climbs to 311

Washington • November 6, 2026 • By Press Pass USA

A nurse in scrubs holding a tray with a vaccine vial and a syringe in a bright pediatric clinic

Editorial illustration — Press Pass USA

The number of confirmed measles cases in the United States climbed to 5,182 as of November 5, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday, an increase of 330 cases from the previous weekly update — the 13th straight week of triple-digit growth — and more than double the total for all of 2025.

Hospitalizations linked to measles this year stood at 562, about 11% of all reported cases, according to the CDC figures reported by Reuters. People aged 20 and older accounted for 2,132 cases, followed by 2,104 cases among those aged 5 to 19 and 908 cases in children under 5. The vast majority of infections were among people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown, accounting for 96% of cases in 2026.

Measles has also spread widely through outbreaks: the CDC reported 43 outbreaks in 2026, and 96% of confirmed cases — 4,993 of 5,182 — were outbreak-associated. For comparison, the CDC reported 2,289 confirmed measles cases for all of 2025, meaning the 2026 total, with nearly two months of the year remaining, is already more than twice last year's figure.

The CDC's official count stands at four measles-associated deaths in 2026, compared with three in all of 2025 — but state health departments have now reported eight deaths this year, including three in the past week alone: a child in New York, announced November 3, an infant in Wisconsin, announced November 5, and a sixth death in Pennsylvania. Neither New York nor Wisconsin had recorded a measles death in more than 30 years.

Ohio's total now stands at 311 cases, up from 296 a week ago, according to state data, with most infections in the state's northeast corner — Geauga, Ashtabula and Wayne counties. The Ohio Department of Health's dashboard, updated Thursday, counted 310 cases in 25 counties — nearly six times the 45 cases reported in all of 2025. The state added 14 new cases in the past week, a 61% decrease from the 36 reported the week before; Ashland County added seven cases, bringing its total to eight, and Mercer County joined the list.

Elsewhere, Pennsylvania remains the country's biggest hot spot with 1,487 cases, including 61 new infections this week and a sixth death. Wisconsin's state health department reported 477 cases — a 35-year high, with 85 new cases — and more than 99% of the state's cases are among unvaccinated people. Minnesota reached 139 cases, Indiana 134 and Kentucky 204. Only five states have reported no measles cases in 2026: Arkansas, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada and New Hampshire.

The United States is expected to lose its measles elimination status, a distinction it has held since 2000, after a commission of the Pan American Health Organization meets next week in Washington to review regional elimination. Many experts now believe measles is endemic in the United States. “I think we're going to see measles again next year, and the year after that, and the year after that, until we get on top of vaccinating our populace,” Dr. Paul Offit, an infectious disease specialist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said during a webinar Friday.

Health officials note that measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air, and that two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing illness. The CDC says its published figures include only confirmed cases that jurisdictions notified to the agency, so the true total could be higher.

Sources: Reuters, “US measles cases rise to 5,182, CDC says” (Nov 6, 2026); CIDRAP, “US measles total for 2026 tops 5,100 cases” (Nov 6, 2026); Columbus Dispatch, “Ohio measles cases up nearly 600% this year, 25 counties have 2026 cases” (Nov 6, 2026); U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention measles data, updated November 6, 2026.