Let’s Talk About Measles in California

The Real Truth About Vaccines

Have you seen that recent headline about measles in California?

Cases in California have doubled, but are far below national trends!

It talks about how measles cases in California have already doubled this year as compared to last year.

Let’s Talk About Measles in California

And while that is technically true, talking about the case count in California doesn’t tell the whole story…

So what’s missing?

Well, there is the very simple fact that if you look at population statistics, then 27 states had higher case counts than California (1.3 cases per million) this year!

1. Utah - 510 cases (144 cases per million)

2. South Carolina - 673 cases

3. North Dakota - 38 cases (47 cases per million)

4. Virginia - 177 cases

5. Arizona - 119 cases

6. South Dakota - 11 cases (11.7 cases per million)

7. Pennsylvania - 142 cases

8. Wyoming - 6 cases (10 cases per million)

9. New Mexico - 172 cases

10. Oregon - 324 cases

11. Florida - 155 cases (6.6 cases per million)

12. Washington - 52 cases

13. Texas - 188 cases (5.9 cases per million)

14. Idaho - 102 cases

15. Montana - 51 cases

And many of them had much larger outbreaks too.

In fact, the largest outbreak in California had spread from South Carolina!

“The outbreak started with an unvaccinated traveler returning to the area from South Carolina, where a much larger outbreak was underway.”

Regional Measles Outbreak Ends Following Coordinated Public Health Response

Fortunately, it was contained at just over 10 cases.

Now why might it be surprising that there haven’t been larger outbreaks in California?

Well, California is the state with the most people, so you would kind of think that they would be at risk to have a lot of cases.

But they haven’t…

Neither has New York (0.75 cases per million), another state with a very large population and relatively few cases.

Can you guess why that might be?

That’s right.

States that vaccinate and protect their kids are less likely to have a lot of measles.

These are states that don’t make it easy for parents to abuse non-medical vaccine exemptions and avoid vaccinating their kids.

And that’s something journalists might want to talk about when they do an article on measles cases…

More on Measles Outbreaks

• Measles Deaths Were More Than 22,000 Percent Higher Just Before We Got a Measles Vaccine!

• What Is Your Risk of Getting Measles in the United States?

• Public Health Needs MAHA... Like It Needs Another Outbreak

• Red Measles Is Taking on a New Meaning With Measles Cases Soaring in Red States

• A Guide to Evaluating Vaccine Information for Legislators

• The History of Vaccine Exemptions

• Measles Activity in California, 2026​

• Regional Measles Outbreak Ends Following Coordinated Public Health Response

• The GOP was the antivax party before Ron DeSantis, but now he’s turbocharged its resistance

• The Republican Party has become the antivaccine party

• State by state, U.S. vaccine policy is changing

• One more time: The Republican Party is the antivaccine party

• Jeffrey Tucker: The antivaccine movement and the far right