America Has Its Most Measles Cases in Thirty-Five Years
This year, more than five thousand people in America caught measles, a sickness the country once said it had stopped. Leah and Sam explain why. Measles spreads very easily, but two shots protect almost everyone who gets them, and when nearly everyone in a town is protected, the virus has a hard time spreading. Fewer kids are getting the shots now, and health experts from across the Americas are checking whether measles has kept spreading here for more than a year.
Show notes
In this episode
- 0:01 Opening
- 0:19 America has its most measles cases in thirty-five years
- 4:25 Recap and outro
Sources and context
- America has its most measles cases in thirty-five years: CDC — Measles cases and outbreaks, updated November 6, 2026 and ABC News — Report on US measles cases passing 5,000 in 45 states and CBS News — Maps and charts tracking the record number of US measles cases in 2026 and AP via PBS News — Report on the review of the US measles elimination status and World Health Organization — Measles fact sheet
