CDC reports six measles deaths in 2026 as US battles worst outbreak in 35 years

Figures highlight spread of virus, officially declared eliminated in US in 2000, but CDC does not identify which states accounted for deaths

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported six measles-related deaths in the US this year, according to figures published on its website on Thursday, as the country faces its most severe resurgence of the disease in decades.

The newly reported total is twice the number of deaths recorded in 2025, highlighting the spread of the highly infectious virus, which was officially declared eliminated in the US in 2000.