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The United States has reported 1,136 cases of measles in the first eight weeks of the year, a figure that already exceeds six times the annual average and puts the country on track for another record year for this preventable disease.
According to a report from CNN, which cites data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, specialists have described the trend as "disappointing, depressing, and sinister," especially because there is a safe and highly effective vaccine against the virus.
According to official data, about 96% of the reported cases this year correspond to people who have not received the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine or have not completed the two recommended doses.
More than 80% of the infections have occurred in children and adolescents, and approximately one in four cases involves children under the age of five.
Last year, nearly 2,300 cases of measles were reported in the country, the highest number since 1991 and well above any annual record since the disease was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000.
In 2025, three people died from complications associated with the virus, all of whom were unvaccinated.
Experts warn that measles can lead to serious complications.
According to the CDC, one in every 1,000 infected children may develop encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain that can lead to permanent disability, and up to three in every 1,000 may die.
More than half of the states have reported at least one case so far this year, with active outbreaks in several regions. Public health specialists emphasize that increasing vaccination coverage is key to curbing the spread and protecting the most vulnerable groups.
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