It used to be that measles was very common and almost everyone got measles.
While it was a so-called rite of passage and a part of growing up, it wasn’t something you looked forward to, as some kids didn’t survive having measles.
How Many People Get Measles Each Year?
Fortunately, measles case counts have dropped in the post-vaccine era.
How much did they drop?
Let’s see..
| Year | Cases |
|---|---|
| 1920 | 469,924 |
| 1941 | 894,134 |
| over 400 measles deaths each year | |
| 1962 | 503,282 |
| 1969 | 25,826 |
| 1970 | 47,351 |
| 1978 | 26,871 |
| 1979 | 13,597 |
| 1983 | 1,497 |
| 1986 | 6,282 |
| 1989 | 18,193 |
| 1990 | 27,786 |
| 1991 | 9,643 |
| 1992 | 2,200 |
| 1993 | 312 |
| OLD record high number of measles cases | |
| 1994 | 963 |
| 1995 | 281 |
| 1996 | 508 |
| 1997 | 138 |
| 1998 | 100 |
| 1999 | 100 |
| 2000 | 86 |
| 2001 | 116 |
| 2002 | 44 |
| 2003 | 55 |
| OLD record low number of measles cases | |
| 2004 | 37 |
| 2005 | 66 |
| 2006 | 55 |
| 2007 | 43 |
| 2008 | 140 |
| 2009 | 71 |
| 2010 | 61 |
| 2011 | 220 |
| 2012 | 55 |
| 2013 | 187 |
| OLD worst year for measles since 1994, with the largest single outbreak (377 cases in Ohio) since the endemic spread of measles was eliminated | |
| 2014 | 667 |
| 2015 | 188 |
| 2016 | 86 |
| 2017 | 120 |
| 2018 | 375 |
| NEW worst year for measles since 1992, with the largest single outbreak (652 cases in Brooklyn, New York) since the endemic spread of measles was eliminated | |
| 2019 | 1,274 |
| NEW record low number of measles cases | |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 49 |
| 2022 | 121 |
Can you guess when the first measles vaccines were introduced?
Can you guess when we started to give kids a second dose of the MMR vaccine?
Can you guess when Wakefield became popular and Dr. Bob’s vaccine book was released?
Do you know how much it costs to contain these outbreaks?
Do you understand the consequences of a natural measles infection?
Can you explain why we will almost certainly have the second highest number of measles cases in one year since 1992, even though we see the devastation that high rates of measles is causing in Europe and other parts of the world?
How many people will get measles in the United States this year?
Although no one is reporting on this, with several large ongoing outbreaks still not under control – it will be another record year for measles in the United States.
And with several large outbreaks continuing overseas, next year doesn’t look like it will be much better, especially with reports of a measles resurgence in many regions of the world.
More on Measles and Measles Cases
- What to Do If Your Child Is Exposed to Measles
- Where Is Measles on the Rise?
- Why Do We Only Worry About Measles?
- The Myth That Measles Isn’t Deadly
- When Was the Last Measles Death in the United States?
- Costs of a Measles Outbreak
- How Contagious Is Measles?
- Can MMR Shedding Start a Measles Outbreak?
- CDC – Measles Cases and Outbreaks
- Michigan measles cases reach 15; health officials urge protection through vaccination
- CDC – Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables. MMWR.
- Anti-Vaccine Movement Causes Worst Measles Epidemic In 20 Years
- Each case of measles costs $33,000 – there were over 600 cases in 2014
- Over Half Of Measles Cases In U.S. Outbreaks Are Often Intentionally Unvaccinated
- Measles – Timeline | History of Vaccines
- Ask the Experts about MMR
- MMWR – Progress Toward Regional Measles Elimination — Worldwide, 2000–2017
- 2018 Assessment Report of the Global Vaccine Action Plan