July 24, 2026- The U.S. measles case count for this year has surged past last year’s total to reach the highest level in nearly 35 years — and now stands at 2,295, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker that compiles state and local health data. The virus is rebounding in areas with low vaccine coverage, and the majority of cases are in unvaccinated people, according to Axios. While overall measles vaccination rates are still relatively high, public health officials say they must remain above 95% to maintain herd immunity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,260 confirmed cases in its last update on July 16. The agency said there were 34 new outbreaks reported this year. The last time measles cases were higher was in 1991, when the U.S. had 9,643 cases, according to CDC data.