Key facts
- US measles cases are primarily driven by domestic spread, not international imports.
- 4,588 confirmed measles cases reported in the US this year.
- Only 18 US measles cases were linked to international visitors.
- 4,404 US measles cases (96%) are linked to domestic outbreaks.
- The US has had 43 new measles outbreaks this year.
- Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has downplayed the current measles surge.
Measles cases in the US are primarily driven by domestic spread within under-vaccinated communities, rather than international imports, according to a report. The US has recorded 4,588 confirmed measles cases this year, with only 18 linked to international visitors, while 4,404 cases are tied to domestic outbreaks. Officials credit public health measures like quarantines and contact tracing for limiting the spread of the virus. The report also contradicts claims made by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has downplayed the current measles surge and suggested it is a global outbreak.