Measles cases surge to 33-year high

The infection was declared eliminated from the US in 2000 but has seen a resurgence amid vaccine hesitancy

A child is vaccinated against measles
'People don't remember how sick this virus can make you — or how dead it can make you'
(Image credit: Adriaticfoto / Shutterstock)

What happened

The U.S. has reached its highest annual measles cases tally since 1992, with 1,277 confirmed cases across 38 states and the District of Columbia, according to the latest data from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Outbreak Response Innovation. Most of the infections are in Texas, but at least 155 people have been hospitalized nationwide, with three deaths from measles-related complications.

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Jessica Hullinger

Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.