After a delay of about eight months, the United States will finally have a review of our measles elimination status next month.
“The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reports that the review of the status of measles elimination in the United States and Mexico will be held in November 2026, during the regular annual meeting of the Regional Monitoring and Reverification Commission for the Elimination of Measles, Rubello and Congenital Rubella Syndrome (RVC). This review will include all Member States, with particular emphasis on those with active outbreaks and those who have completed one year of sustained transmission, in accordance with the established criteria.”
Update on the status of measles elimination review
As if anyone really needs a review to know that endemic measles has no longer been eliminated in the United States…
Our Measles Elimination Status Review Is Almost Here
But for those who do, know that the review will be held during the regular annual meeting of the Regional Monitoring and Reverification Commission for the Elimination of Measles, Rubello and Congenital Rubella Syndrome (RVC) which is scheduled for November 10–13, 2026.
“The RVC’s annual meeting is a closed technical meeting. National reports submitted by countries are restricted-access documents and are used exclusively for assessment purposes by the RVC and PAHO’s Technical Secretariat.
The Commission will subsequently publish a final report summarizing its deliberations, conclusions and recommendations, which will serve as the official record of the review process.”
Measles and Rubella Elimination Regional Monitoring and Re-Verification Commission to hold sixth annual meeting in November
And then, a few days later (that’s how long they took to tell Canada last year…), we should learn that we have lost our status of having eliminated the endemic spread of measles that we had held since 2000.
Is there a chance that we might retain our status?
“Elimination in the Region of the Americas, the RVC applies uniform criteria for all countries in the Region. According to these criteria, endemic transmission of measles is considered to have been reestablished when epidemiological and laboratory evidence indicates that there is a chain of transmission of a viral strain (identical genotype and lineage) that has been maintained uninterrupted for 12 months or more within a defined geographical area (region or country).”
Measles and Rubella Elimination Regional Monitoring and Re-Verification Commission
It is unlikely; after all, the measles outbreak in Utah has lasted more than a year.
“All 208 genotyped specimens obtained from measles patients in Kansas, New Mexico, and Texas were genotype D8, 196 (94%) of which had identical N-450 sequences; 12 differed by one nucleotide, which can be expected in prolonged outbreaks.”
Measles Update — United States, January 1–April 17, 2025
And it is obvious that many outbreaks are linked.
So don’t bet on the US keeping their elimination status.
Want to bet on something?
Bet on how long it is going to take us to regain our elimination status!
Of course, first we have to stop our current outbreaks.