SACRAMENTO, CA — Measles cases continue to rise across California, doubling so far this year compared to the number of cases reported in 2025, state health officials confirmed this week.
As of July 20, at least 52 cases of measles have been confirmed in 2026, compared with 25 cases reported in 2025, according to the California Department of Public Health.
"It is very concerning to see measles cases at their highest rate in 35 years, with numbers of cases in 2026 now exceeding those reported in 2025. The increase in cases among children and young adults in California is also very worrisome and reflects declining vaccination rates among children," said Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infection disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco.
The most recent confirmed case was reported in Los Angeles County. Cases of the highly-contagious disease have been confirmed in Napa, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Shasta counties so far this year.
About 52 percent of the confirmed 2026 cases were children and young adults ages 5 to 19. Four of the confirmed measles cases this year required hospitalization. No deaths have been reported.
Health officials said 94 percent of the cases in California afflicted people who are unvaccinated or who had an unknown vaccination status.
Across the country, measles cases have already surpassed the number of cases reported in 2025, with 2,318 confirmed cases this year compared to 2,289 cases last year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Among the 2,318 cases across the U.S., 93 percent are among those who are unvaccinated which shows the problem, that rates of measles vaccination, even among children in California, have declined. The U.S. is likely to lose its elimination status in November when (the Pan American Health Organization) meets. We need to increase vaccination rates in California and across the nation," said Gandhi.
U.S. health officials had declared measles eliminated in the United States in 2000. However, the confirmed cases rose sharply last year. Health officials have attributed the increase to vaccine hesitancy.
The CDC said outbreaks continue to spread when travelers who are infectious cross into communities with low vaccination rates.
Last month, health officials confirmed the seventh positive case of measles in Los Angeles County this year after an infected traveler arrived at Hollywood Burbank Airport, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
The agency has partnered with the CDC to contact passengers who may have been in close proximity to the infectious traveler during the flight.
Measles is highly contagious and can easily infect a person who is unvaccinated. According to the Mayo Clinic, measles, also called rubeola, used to be a common childhood illness. Most people who contract measles usually recover in about 10 days. Though the disease is preventable, measles can be serious and is potentially deadly, especially for children under the age of 5, and those living with a weakened immune system.
Measles causes a blotchy rash that can be shades of red, purple or brown depending on a person's skin color. The rash usually appears on the face and behind the ears, and spreads to the rest of the body, according to the Mayo Clinic.
There is no effective treatment for measles.
According to the CDC, two doses of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine provide the best protection against measles.
The CDC said MMR is safe and effective, and very rarely causes extreme reactions. Two doses of MMR vaccine is about 97 percent effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93 percent effective.
The CDC advises the public to discuss the MMR with their healthcare provider, especially if they are planning to travel.
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