Is measles still a problem in the United States?
We still see measles among visitors to the U.S. and among U.S. travelers returning from other countries. The measles viruses these travelers bring into our country sometimes causes outbreaks. However, because most people in the U.S. have been vaccinated, these outbreaks are usually small. Measles vaccination in the U.S. has decreased the number of cases to the lowest point ever reported. Widespread use of the measles vaccine has led to a greater than 99% reduction in measles compared with the pre-vaccine era when approximately 450,000 cases and 450 deaths were reported each year.
