Reported measles cases in the United States rose to 4,852 as of October 29, according to an update issued Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The total was 264 higher than in the CDC’s previous update.
The agency reported 511 hospitalizations linked to measles this year, equal to 11% of all reported cases. The figures provide the latest national snapshot of an outbreak that has affected people across age groups, with the largest number of cases recorded among those ages 5 to 19.
Children and adults account for most reported cases
People ages 5 to 19 accounted for 2,010 cases in 2026, according to the CDC’s data. Adults ages 20 and older represented 1,996 cases, while children under 5 accounted for 812.
| Group or outcome | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| Total U.S. cases | 4,852 |
| Hospitalizations | 511, or 11% of cases |
| Ages 5 to 19 | 2,010 cases |
| Ages 20 and older | 1,996 cases |
| Children under 5 | 812 cases |
The CDC said 96% of the cases in 2026 involved people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown. That proportion was 93% in 2025, the agency’s data showed. The figures combine people without documented vaccination with those for whom vaccination status was not known; they do not establish that every person in the category was unvaccinated.
Pennsylvania reports highest state total in the update
Pennsylvania’s state health department has reported 1,398 measles cases so far in 2026. It has also reported five measles-related deaths. The CDC, however, has confirmed three measles-associated deaths nationally and has not specified where those deaths occurred.
The difference between the Pennsylvania and national death counts reflects separate reporting by the state health department and the CDC. The available figures therefore should not be treated as interchangeable totals. Both agencies are reporting deaths associated with measles, but the CDC’s national confirmation count is lower than the number reported by Pennsylvania.
Key figures from the CDC update
- 4,852: measles cases reported in the United States as of October 29
- 264: increase from the previous CDC update
- 96%: share of 2026 cases involving people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown
- 511: hospitalizations linked to measles, representing 11% of reported cases
The CDC’s update also shows that the reported cases are not concentrated in a single age group. The 5-to-19 age range accounted for the largest category, followed closely by adults ages 20 and older, while children under 5 represented a smaller but significant portion of the national total.
