Measles cases reach 35-year high

Healthcare Newsletter Measles cases reach 35-year high Comments: by Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi - 07/22/26 6:34 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi - 07/22/26 6:34 PM ET Comments: Link copied

NOW PLAYING

Presented by PhRMA{beacon}

Healthcare

Health Care

PRESENTED BY

The Big Story

Measles cases at a 35-year high

With the number of measles cases this year now surpassing last year’s annual total, the U.S. is seeing the highest number of cases in more than 35 years.

Johns Hopkins University’s measles tracking dashboard on Thursday surpassed 2025’s total, reaching 2,295 cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not yet updated its own tally.

This is the highest number of cases recorded since 1990, when nearly 28,000 measles cases were recorded. Following that year, measles infections dramatically fell and remained low as vaccinations were pushed and a two-dose schedule was introduced.

“High vaccination coverage has protected even the un- and undervaccinated because of herd protection, keeping measles at bay for the past few decades,” William Moss, executive director of Johns Hopkins University’s International Vaccine Access Center said in a statement.

“But in communities with pockets of susceptible individuals across a broad age range, measles has been able to take hold, infecting those who are susceptible and spreading rapidly.”

Since measles was eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, the annual number of cases has typically ranged from a few dozen to a couple hundred a year. But both 2025 and 2026 have seen more than 2,000 confirmed cases as outbreaks have spread out across the country.

As of the most recent update from the CDC, 34 new measles outbreaks have been declared this year, with 44 jurisdictions reporting cases.

Welcome to The Hill’s Healthcare newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

The Hill Insider is coming

A new all-access digital subscription from The Hill — launching July 2026. Join the waitlist to be among the first inside

Join the waitlist

Essential Reads

How policy will be impacting the healthcare sector this week and beyond:

Senate panel advances legislation capping private insurance insulin at $35

Bipartisan legislation to cap the cost of insulin at $35 for people with private health insurance advanced through a key Senate committee Wednesday, but its future remains uncertain. The measure cleared the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee by a bipartisan 17-5 vote, with six Republicans joining every Democrat on the panel. Notably, committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.) voted against it, arguing it created …

Full Story

Cyclospora cases in US hit all time high

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it confirmed more than 2,500 additional cases of cyclosporiasis infections across dozens of states, making it the largest outbreak on record. Nationwide, CDC said it has confirmed 4,173 cases of cyclosporiasis since May 1, though some states are seeing much higher case numbers than others. The worst year in the U.S. for infections was 2019, when about 4,700 illnesses …

Full Story

On Our Radar

Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:

The FDA’s two-day meeting on potentially making more peptides available through compounding pharmacies begins Thursday.

CONTENT FROM OUR SPONSORWhen America leads in medicine development, every American benefits.

Americans get new medicines 3 years faster than other high-income countries thanks to our biopharmaceutical leadership. If Washington copies other countries’ price control policies, we risk America’s access to cures. Learn more

In Other News

Branch out with a different read from The Hill:

House passes reconciliation framework for Pentagon boost, voting restrictions

House Republicans on Wednesday approved a $95 billion framework for a third budget reconciliation package that would boost funding for the Pentagon, provide agriculture aid and provide money to encourage states to adopt voting restrictions.

Full Story

Around the Nation

Local and state headlines on healthcare:

Mass. doctor who stormed Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, has medical license revoked (Boston Globe)
More than 10,000 New Mexico kids have lost federal food assistance in last year, new analysis shows (Source NM)
Whitmer signs Michigan healthcare bills to lower costs (Midland Daily News)

What We’re Reading

Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets:

Trump’s personnel agency says it will remove some identifying info as it sweeps up medical records (KFF Health News)
Tick bites snag Congress’ attention as red meat allergies rise (Roll Call)
As Maui recovers from devastating fires, a study offers vision for new rural health model (Stat)

What People Think

Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: