The U.S. is losing its official measles elimination status after more than 5,100 cases were reported nationwide in 2026 as of early November, the country's worst outbreak in more than three decades. Eight deaths have been confirmed across Pennsylvania, New York, and Wisconsin.
A Johns Hopkins University tool estimates the 2026 outbreaks will cost nearly $83 million. This includes $56 million in public health response costs, almost $25 million in lost productivity, and more than $1.8 million in direct medical expenses. The 2025 outbreaks, which involved 2,289 cases, carried an estimated cost of more than $37 million.
The costs extend beyond treating sick patients. Health departments investigate cases, identify and notify exposed people, coordinate with hospitals and schools, and sometimes organize vaccination campaigns. These efforts divert staff and resources from other public health priorities.
Costs vary by state based on local hospital rates and wages. New York reported 48 cases in 2025 with estimated costs of $1.1 million. Texas reported 803 cases, the epicenter of the largest 2025 outbreak, with estimated costs of nearly $13 million.
An August study by Johns Hopkins researchers estimated that measles outbreaks carry a historical average cost of nearly $59,000 per case in public health response alone. The model estimated roughly $298,000 in fixed costs and about $16,300 for each additional case.
People exposed to measles may need to quarantine even without symptoms. A 2025 University of Utah study estimated that a hypothetical 1,500-case outbreak could cost about $90 million, including roughly $26 million in productivity losses. If a single case exposes 40 to 50 people who quarantine, that could amount to $12,000 to $15,000 in lost productivity alone, even if those contacts never become sick.