Measles, whooping cough spike amid low vaccination rates

Measles and whooping cough cases are surging in the U.S. due to low vaccination rates and vaccine hesitancy, with 12 states and D.C. reporting more measles cases in 2026 than in all of 2025. Utah, South Carolina, Florida, and Virginia are among the hardest-hit states, and the U.S. may lose its measles elimination status. Federal funding cuts to public health and anti-vaccine rhetoric are complicating containment efforts.