Lost measles elimination status ‘a cost of doing business,’ CDC official says

The recent surge in measles transmission in the United States has raised concerns among health officials, with the country at risk of losing its measles elimination status. Despite the increasing number of cases, the principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ralph Abraham, downplayed the significance of this potential loss.

Abraham, a physician and former Louisiana surgeon general, attributed the rise in measles cases to factors such as porous borders and international travel. He emphasized that a country does not lose its elimination status simply due to imported cases of the disease, but rather if ongoing transmission occurs for a year or longer after an introduction.

During a press conference addressing the measles outbreaks, Abraham acknowledged that some transmission is occurring within communities where parents have chosen not to vaccinate their children. He stressed the importance of respecting personal freedoms, including the choice to forgo vaccination, while also highlighting the CDC’s commitment to supporting communities in minimizing the impact of measles, especially on children.

In addition to assisting states in containing outbreaks, Abraham and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have been advocating for measles vaccination. They have publicly endorsed the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. However, concerns have been raised about Kennedy’s approach to vaccination, with some advocates criticizing his stance on vaccine risks that lack scientific evidence.

The press conference coincided with the one-year anniversary of the West Texas measles outbreak, which resulted in 2,242 confirmed cases and three deaths in 2025. The current year has already seen 336 confirmed cases, surpassing the total for most years between 1993 and 2025. Health officials are investigating whether the recent transmission is linked to the previous outbreak and are utilizing whole genome sequencing to analyze virus strains.

The U.S. achieved measles elimination status in 2000, signifying that the virus was no longer endemic within its borders. However, the recent surge in cases has raised concerns about a potential loss of this status. Canada, which experienced a large measles outbreak, lost its elimination status in November. The Pan American Health Organization will convene in April to assess whether the U.S. and Mexico have also lost their elimination status.

As health officials work to analyze the genetic data of measles viruses across the country, they emphasize the need for comprehensive analysis to determine the extent of ongoing spread. The CDC is collaborating with academic and state labs to enhance the use of whole genome sequencing for measles surveillance, a new approach to tracking the transmission of the virus.