US hits most cases of ‘world’s most contagious disease’ in 35 years — and it’s only July

US hits most cases of ‘world’s most contagious disease’ in 35 years — and it’s only July

Less than seven months into 2026, the United States has already reached a 35-year high for annual measles cases. As of Tuesday, there are 2,295 confirmed cases across the country, according to Johns Hopkins University’s US measles tracker — which has published the more up-to-date data than the CDC. That surpasses 2025’s record-breaking total of … Read more

‘World’s most contagious disease’ on track for highest US cases in 35 years — doc warns: ‘We are allowing it to spread’

‘World’s most contagious disease’ on track for highest US cases in 35 years — doc warns: ‘We are allowing it to spread’

Measles only needs a small opening — and it got one. For the second year in a row, cases of measles — known as the world’s most infectious disease — will hit record highs, and 2026 is on track to be substantially worse than 2025. In a matter of weeks, we’re likely to blow past … Read more

American vaccines that transformed public health, prevented millions of illnesses over 250 years

American vaccines that transformed public health, prevented millions of illnesses over 250 years

Before the first successful vaccine was developed in 1796, Americans had little protection against deadly infectious diseases like smallpox, measles and diphtheria. Over the next 250 years, vaccines helped eliminate or dramatically reduce many vaccine-preventable infectious diseases, preventing millions of illnesses, infections and deaths. “There is a reason that vaccines are widely considered to be the greatest … Read more

World’s most contagious disease found at busy California airport

World’s most contagious disease found at busy California airport

A traveler infected with the world’s most contagious disease passed through a busy Southern California airport during the summer travel rush, potentially exposing scores of unsuspecting passengers. Los Angeles County health officials are investigating a confirmed measles case involving a person who was infectious while traveling through Hollywood Burbank Airport and visiting a nearby rental … Read more

World’s most infectious disease case found in California after they passed through super spreader hubs

World’s most infectious disease case found in California after they passed through super spreader hubs

A person infected with measles passed through San Francisco International Airport and two busy San Jose grocery stores, health officials have revealed. The alert involves an adult from Santa Clara County who was infectious while passing through the major transport hub on Thursday morning between 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. The individual moved through the … Read more

Poison center reports rose 39% for a common supplement — after it was incorrectly touted as a measles cure

Poison center reports rose 39% for a common supplement — after it was incorrectly touted as a measles cure

Just because you can grab it off a drugstore shelf doesn’t mean it’s harmless. As the US confronted a major resurgence of measles last year, poison control centers reported a sharp spike in calls involving children exposed to a widely available supplement. Around the same time, new research shows internet searches surged for whether that … Read more

I’m an infectious disease doctor — the virus that keeps me up at night, especially on a cruise ship

I’m an infectious disease doctor — the virus that keeps me up at night, especially on a cruise ship

A dream trip has turned into a floating nightmare for passengers and crew aboard the MV Hondius, where a hantavirus outbreak has killed three and sickened at least four others. Nearly 150 people still on board are in quarantine after health officials confirmed that two passengers were infected with the Andes strain, a rare and … Read more

Why cruise ships create an ‘ideal’ environment for disease — and the worst-case scenarios

Why cruise ships create an ‘ideal’ environment for disease — and the worst-case scenarios

A little sunburn and seasickness might be the least of your worries once you set sail on that dream cruise. More than 150 people, including 17 Americans, are currently confined to their cabins aboard a luxury cruise ship amid a suspected hantavirus outbreak that has left them stranded off the coast of West Africa. At … Read more

Boy, 7, dies of brain condition caused by world’s most contagious disease — years after he had it as a baby

Boy, 7, dies of brain condition caused by world’s most contagious disease — years after he had it as a baby

Sacramento health officials sounded the alarm about a potential measles outbreak on Monday after more than 100 children were exposed to an unvaccinated child at an educational enrichment program. It’s far from the only community at risk. The US has already passed 1,000 confirmed cases this year, with infections “worse than expected” in Utah and … Read more

Health care workers can’t recognize measles — and it’s putting people in ERs at risk

Health care workers can’t recognize measles — and it’s putting people in ERs at risk

Measles is back in a big way — and it’s catching some doctors off guard. In North Carolina, hospital staff took a staggering two hours and 20 minutes to isolate 7-year-old twin brothers who arrived at an Asheville ER last month with fever, cough, rash, pink eye and cold-like symptoms, KFF Health News reports. The … Read more

Dozens infected in massive measles outbreak at US college despite majority vaccinations

Dozens infected in massive measles outbreak at US college despite majority vaccinations

More than 40 measles cases have been reported at Ave Maria University in southwest Florida, marking the largest outbreak on an American college campus in recent history.  The situation at the private Catholic college comes amid a broader national increase in measles cases, with 2,280 confirmed infections nationwide in 2025 and more than 900 cases reported so … Read more

The hidden measles complication that can kill you years later — as nearly 200 cases confirmed across US

The hidden measles complication that can kill you years later — as nearly 200 cases confirmed across US

Measles is back with a vengeance — and the danger doesn’t end when the rash fades. The US saw a dramatic rise in cases last year, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting the highest numbers of the highly contagious respiratory disease in more than 30 years. And the numbers keep climbing. Federal … Read more

The scary measles complication that makes your body forget how to fight other infections — as cases rise to highest in 30 years

The scary measles complication that makes your body forget how to fight other infections — as cases rise to highest in 30 years

Surviving measles doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. In 2025, the US saw a dramatic spike in cases, with the CDC reporting the highest levels of the highly contagious disease in over 30 years. Now, health experts are sounding the alarm about a little-known complication that can make your body forget how to fight off … Read more

World’s most contagious virus detected at 2 major US airports amid peak holiday traffic

World’s most contagious virus detected at 2 major US airports amid peak holiday traffic

During peak holiday travel, one of the most infectious diseases was detected at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. A case of measles was identified in a passenger at terminals B & C on Dec. 12, according to a New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) press release.   “Measles symptoms include a high fever, cough, … Read more

Hundreds quarantined in South Carolina from second US measles outbreak

Hundreds quarantined in South Carolina from second US measles outbreak

Measles outbreaks are growing along the Utah-Arizona border and in South Carolina, where hundreds are in quarantine. Between Friday and Tuesday, South Carolina health officials confirmed 27 new measles cases in an outbreak in and around northwestern Spartanburg County. In two months, 111 people have been sickened by the vaccine-preventable virus. More than 250 people, … Read more

This deadly brain disorder can develop a decade after you get the measles — and it just killed a child

This deadly brain disorder can develop a decade after you get the measles — and it just killed a child

A school-aged child in L.A. recently died after developing a rare neurological disease years after contracting the measles. Authorities didn’t reveal many details about the case, except that the child was infected with measles as an infant, before they were eligible for the vaccine. Measles is a respiratory disease that spreads easily from person to … Read more

Doctor reveals secret weapon to help inspire more confidence in vaccines

Doctor reveals secret weapon to help inspire more confidence in vaccines

Although it’s been more than five years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the resulting vaccine hesitancy still lingers to this day — something Professor Margie Danchin is committed to helping solve. A pediatrician at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, Danchin is also a vaccine expert at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), … Read more

Measles cases in US hit three-decade high, with nearly 1,300 cases reported

Measles cases in US hit three-decade high, with nearly 1,300 cases reported

Measles cases in the US have reached a 33-year high, with nearly 1,300 cases reported in the last seven months, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least 1,288 measles cases have been documented across the US, the highest since 1992, with more than 90% of those infected … Read more

How huge health funding cuts in Washington ‘put lives at risk’ in communities across America

How huge health funding cuts in Washington ‘put lives at risk’ in communities across America

Americans are losing a vast array of people and programs dedicated to keeping them healthy. Gone are specialists who were confronting a measles outbreak in Ohio, workers who drove a van to schools in North Carolina to offer vaccinations, and a program that provided free tests to sick people in Tennessee. State and local health departments responsible … Read more

Measles outbreak continues to spread throughout the US — see how your state is faring

Measles outbreak continues to spread throughout the US — see how your state is faring

The measles outbreak continues to spread throughout the U.S., sparking discussions about how best to protect children and other high-risk groups from the disease. While West Texas has been the focus of the largest outbreak — with reported cases exceeding 700 as of May 27 — the virus has also emerged in a number of other states. … Read more