(NewsNation) — There are at least 171 confirmed measles cases across nine states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Saju Mathew tells “NewsNation Live” the United States is at risk of losing its measles elimination status. Although the disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, measles cases and outbreaks continue to occur in the U.S. due to unvaccinated international travelers.
Mathew emphasized that if the status is eliminated, it could have negative repercussions for the U.S., including travel bans and the risk of infection.
In 2019, the U.S. nearly lost its elimination status due to nearly 1,300 measles cases from a large outbreak in New York and cases in 30 additional states, the CDC said. After a decrease in global measles incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic, measles activity globally and in the United States continues to rise.
In 2025, the U.S. recorded more than 2,000 measles cases for the first time in over 30 years.
The rise in measles cases coincides with efforts by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to downplay the severity of the disease and the importance of vaccination.
Earlier this year, in the midst of the largest single measles outbreak in decades, Kennedy publicly touted fringe theories about prevention and treatment, such as purported benefits of vitamin A and cod liver oil over the measles vaccine.
According to the CDC, two doses of the MMR vaccine are shown to be 97% effective against measles.
Mathew said the virus’s spread could be curbed if more people got vaccinated.
“South Carolina’s one of the cases where clusters of unvaccinated people are spreading this infection,” he said. “That’s absolutely worrisome, because while this is the most contagious virus ever, this also can be prevented by just getting two vaccines. The first shot gives you 93% protection. If you get that second shot, you’re up to 97% protection.”
South Carolina’s measles outbreak exploded into one of the worst in the U.S., with state health officials confirming 99 new cases in the past three days. The outbreak centered in Spartanburg County grew to 310 cases over the holidays, and spawned cases in North Carolina and Ohio among families who traveled to the outbreak area in the northwestern part of the state.
NewsNation’s Zach Kaplan contributed to this report.