US measles epidemic.

[dann]

Quick takes: Minnesota measles clusters, New World screwworm in elk, Salmonella tied to oysters (CIDRAP, Oct 22, 2026)
“There are pockets of unvaccinated or under-vaccinated people across Minnesota, and anyone who isn't vaccinated against measles is at risk—especially right now,” the Minnesota Department of Health said in a statement. The United States has seen more than 4,400 measles cases so far this year, the most in more than three decades.

 

[dann]

As measles soars in Pennsylvania, some parents are vaccinating their babies early (CIDRAP, Oct 22, 2026)
Children typically receive their first MMR dose from 12 through 15 months of age. But babies as young as 6 months are recommended by the DOH to get an early MMR shot—sometimes referred to as a "zero dose"—if they live in an area where there is an active measles outbreak.

See also the recommendations from Peter Hotez and WHO in post 240.

 

[dann]

US CDC says measles cases rise to 4,588 as outbreak continues (Reuters, Oct 23, 2026)

US measles cases hit 4,588, more than twice last year’s total (CIDRAP, Oct 23, 2026)
An additional 178 measles cases were reported this week, and over the past two weeks, 508 new measles infections have been confirmed. That’s more than the nation experienced from 2022 through 2024, when a total of 465 measles cases were reported.
There have been 43 measles outbreaks across the country so far this year, with one new outbreak added since last week. An outbreak involves three or more people. Only 18 cases have been reported among international visitors.

Measles Cases and Outbreaks (CDC)
2025: 2,289
2024: 285
2023: 59
2022: 121
2021: 49*
2020: 13*
2019: 1,274
2018: 381

* Decrease due to masking and/or pandemic restrictions???

 

[Chris_Halkides]

The New York Times reported, "Health officials in California and Washington, facing outbreaks of measles this past spring, asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in May to validate a test that can diagnose 500 cases in eight hours. They did not hear back for two months. Officials from the West Coast Health Alliance — California, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii — recounted the experience this week in a letter to Dr. Erica Schwartz, the C.D.C.’s new director, who assumed the position in August, shortly after they got the agency’s reply. According to the letter, obtained by The New York Times, the C.D.C. had told them that it had “other competing priorities” and could not dedicate time to making a high-volume test available to state labs."