Measles Progress Overshadowed by Ongoing Child Deaths
WHO:
KCCI - Polk County Health Department Director Juliann Van Liew confirmed the first measles case of 2026 in Iowa.
BBC - Families affected by measles in Bangladesh.
WHAT:
KCCI - Iowa recorded nine measles cases in 2025, including one in Polk County, after several years with few reported infections.
KCCI - The United States reported 2,289 confirmed measles cases in 2025, resulting in 243 hospitalizations and three deaths.
KCCI - As of July 2, a total of 2,170 confirmed cases had already been reported nationwide in 2026.
KCCI - The number of students in Polk County who were not fully vaccinated has more than doubled since 2020, increasing from 2,682 students to 5,516.
KCCI - The confirmed measles case involves a vaccinated adult who recently traveled internationally and is recovering at home.
KCCI - The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the positive measles test on a Wednesday night.
BBC - More than 120,000 suspected and confirmed measles cases have been reported in Bangladesh.
BBC - Medical College Hospital is at more than double its capacity, with nearly 130 patients in just 32 rooms.
WHERE:
KCCI - The individual resides in Polk County, Iowa.
BBC - Bangladesh, specifically at Medical College Hospital.
WHEN:
KCCI - The exposure locations where the individual was present include various public spaces between July 1 and July 5.
WHY:
KCCI - Polk County health leaders state that local vaccination rates leave the community more susceptible to measles, with the county not reaching the 95% vaccination rate necessary for herd immunity.
KCCI - The case is considered rare as it occurred in a vaccinated individual, with measles cases among fully vaccinated people happening about 3% of the time.
HOW:
KCCI - Health officials are investigating the case and have identified several public locations for potential exposure, asking individuals present during those times to fill out a survey.
BBC - Hospitals are overwhelmed due to the high number of measles cases.
(UPDATED July 9, 2026 17:40 UTC)
Iowa has seen a resurgence of measles, recording nine cases in 2025, including one in Polk County, following several years of low infection rates. Nationwide, there were 2,289 confirmed measles cases in 2025, leading to 243 hospitalizations and three deaths, and as of July 2, 2026, there have already been 2,170 confirmed cases reported across the country. Health leaders in Polk County are raising concerns, noting that the number of unvaccinated students has more than doubled since 2020, which has left the community vulnerable as vaccination rates have not reached the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity.
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(UPDATED July 9, 2026 10:08 UTC)
In a significant health update, Polk County Health Department Director Juliann Van Liew has confirmed Iowa's first measles case of 2026, involving a vaccinated adult who recently traveled internationally and is currently recovering at home. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reported that the individual was present in various public spaces between July 1 and July 5, prompting health officials to investigate and identify these locations for potential exposure. They are urging anyone who was in those areas during that time to fill out a survey as part of the ongoing investigation into this rare case, which occurs in vaccinated individuals about 3% of the time.
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(UPDATED July 9, 2026 08:10 UTC)
In Bangladesh, families are grappling with a severe outbreak of measles, with more than 120,000 suspected and confirmed cases reported. Medical College Hospital is currently overwhelmed, operating at more than double its capacity with nearly 130 patients crammed into just 32 rooms. The situation has left hospitals struggling to manage the influx of patients amid this health crisis.