US Measles Vaccination Urged as Cases Hit 35

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urged parents on Sunday to vaccinate their children against measles, delivering the message in a televised interview as the country confronts its highest measles infection levels in 35 years.

Officials and public health experts say the renewed push comes amid a sharp rise in confirmed infections. The United States has recorded 2,371 measles cases so far this year, exceeding the 2,289 cases reported in 2025.

Measles clusters raise pressure on elimination status

The current outbreak spans 37 separate clusters, according to the figures cited by public health experts. They warned that the scope and pace of spread are putting pressure on the country’s measles elimination status, which has been in place since 2000.

Experts also said the combined number of cases across 2025 and 2026 is larger than the total recorded during the rest of the 21st century, underscoring how concentrated the recent resurgence has been compared with other years.

Officials link spread to lower immunization rates

Health officials and specialists pointed to declining vaccination coverage as the main driver of transmission. They cautioned that if immunization rates continue to fall, outbreaks could expand beyond current clusters and become more broadly established in communities.

In his Sunday remarks, Kennedy specifically backed use of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for children. The statement was widely noted as a shift in tone because Kennedy has long expressed skepticism about other public health initiatives.

Kennedy rejects blame, cites religious and global factors Kennedy rejected claims that his earlier advocacy against vaccinations contributed to the current surge. Instead, he attributed the rise in cases to specific religious communities and to global health factors, according to the account of his interview.

The administration is facing continued scrutiny from medical professionals, who have questioned how mixed messaging could affect vaccination coverage over time. Experts have raised concerns that inconsistent signals from senior officials may complicate efforts to sustain broad immunization uptake, particularly as case totals climb.

For now, the reported case counts, the number of clusters, and the risk to elimination status have intensified attention on vaccination decisions and on how public statements from government leaders align with public health guidance.