U.S. Loses Measles-free Status as Grant County Child Dies

WHO:

Al Jazeera - The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) revoked the United States’ measles-elimination status; the United States remains a PAHO member.

Al Jazeera - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was US health secretary during the period in which about 7,500 people were infected and 13 died; the article says he has spread doubts about measles-vaccine safety without scientific evidence.

Al Jazeera - Kennedy asked CDC director Erica Schwartz not to include some deaths in the federal tally, saying there was no evidence they were measles-associated.

Al Jazeera - Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Kennedy disputed how measles deaths should be classified.

Al Jazeera - The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported an infant’s death; the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported an additional death involving an unvaccinated patient who tested positive for measles.

Channel 3000 - The Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Grant County Health Department confirmed a second child had died from measles in Grant County; officials did not release the child’s age or gender.

WHAT:

Al Jazeera - The US lost its measles-free status after 26 years of being considered measles-eliminated; PAHO determined that uninterrupted transmission had continued for more than 12 months.

Al Jazeera - Pennsylvania and Wisconsin announced one additional measles-associated death each, bringing the reported US total to 10 deaths that year. Pennsylvania reported seven deaths and Wisconsin two.

Al Jazeera - About 7,500 people in the US had been infected and 13 had died since the previous year. More than 5,400 confirmed cases were recorded; the article says the 2026 case count was more than double the 2,289 confirmed in 2025.

Al Jazeera - The CDC recorded six measles-related deaths, twice its 2025 figure; its tally was lower than the state-reported total.

Al Jazeera - The CDC was working with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists on a standardized definition for measles deaths. Experts said “measles-associated” death tracking has long been used by the WHO and CDC.

Al Jazeera - US kindergarten vaccination coverage fell from 95.2 percent in the 2019–2020 school year to 92.4 percent in 2025–2026. The two-dose MMR vaccine offers approximately 97 percent protection.

Channel 3000 - Wisconsin had 649 confirmed measles cases in 20 counties since August. An infant’s death in Grant County the previous week was Wisconsin’s first measles death since 1990.

WHERE:

Al Jazeera - Pennsylvania and Wisconsin reported deaths; New York reported a child’s death, its first recorded measles death in more than 30 years.

Channel 3000 - The second child’s death occurred in Grant County, Wisconsin.

WHY:

Al Jazeera - PAHO revoked US elimination status because measles transmission had continued uninterrupted for more than 12 months.

HOW:

Channel 3000 - Measles spreads through the air and can remain airborne for up to two hours after an infected person coughs or sneezes. Symptoms usually develop 10 to 12 days after exposure and can include a runny nose, fever sometimes above 104°F, tiredness, cough, red watery eyes, and a rash that typically starts at the hairline and spreads to the arms and legs.

Channel 3000 - People who develop symptoms should stay home and call a healthcare provider before going to a clinic; two-dose MMR vaccination is the best protection.

(UPDATED November 14, 2026 13:01 UTC)

The United States lost measles-elimination status after transmission continued for more than twelve months. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin reported new deaths, bringing the reported toll to ten. About 7,500 people were infected.