Doctors Warn of Rising Measles and Whooping Cough Cases as Vaccination Rates Fall

Pediatricians and public health officials are reporting rising rates of measles and whooping cough in children across the United States in June 2026, citing declining vaccination rates as the primary cause. Healthline reported on June 4 that some regions have fallen below the 95 percent vaccination threshold needed to maintain herd immunity against measles.

Measles cases in the U.S. have already topped 2,000 in 2026, marking the second consecutive year above that threshold. The country lost its measles elimination status, which it had held since 2000, after sustained outbreaks began appearing in communities with low vaccination coverage.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is also on the rise. The disease, which can be severe or fatal in infants, spreads easily in settings where vaccination rates have dropped. Doctors say they are seeing cases in children who are too young to be fully vaccinated, as well as in older children and adults whose immunity has waned.

The declines in vaccination rates have multiple causes. Misinformation about vaccine safety continues to circulate on social media. Some parents have sought medical or religious exemptions from school vaccination requirements. In some states, exemption laws have been loosened in recent years, making it easier to opt out.

Public health officials say the consequences are predictable. Diseases that were once rare or eliminated in the U.S. are returning because the population-level immunity that kept them in check has eroded.

Doctors are urging parents to check their children's vaccination records and consult with pediatricians about any missed doses. The CDC's recommended childhood vaccination schedule includes the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella, and the DTaP vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.