The United States has lost the measles elimination status it has held since 2000, after an independent commission that reports to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) found the virus has been spreading inside the country for more than a year. The Wall Street Journal first reported the decision on Friday, and CNN confirmed it with a source close to the process.
The commission held its annual meeting from Nov. 10 to 13 and was set to "classify countries according to their elimination status" at its close, PAHO said in its October notice. Its findings go to PAHO's director, who formally passes the classification to each government, and a public announcement is expected next week. PAHO had put the US and Mexico under review in January, and said in March that the clock for the US started on Jan. 20, 2025, a year from the onset of its outbreaks.
By the CDC's case tracker, 5,412 confirmed measles cases were reported in 2026 as of Nov. 12, more than double the 2,289 for all of 2025, from 47 jurisdictions, with 96% of them tied to outbreaks and 43 new o
