Washington:US measles cases have surpassed 5,000 for the first time since 1991, reaching their highest annual level in 35 years amid continuing outbreaks nationwide.

According to Wam, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 5,182 cases, with unvaccinated people or those whose vaccination status was unknown accounting for 96% of infections in 2026.

The significant number of cases highlights the impact of vaccination status on the spread of measles, as the vast majority of infections involve individuals who are either unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination histories.