US measles outbreaks in 2026 estimated to cost nearly $83 million — CNBC
Economic losses from measles outbreaks in the United States in 2026 could amount to nearly $83 million, researchers at Johns Hopkins University calculated using a new assessment tool. As CNBC reports, more than 5,100 measles cases had been registered in the country as of early November — the largest outbreak in more than three decades.
According to state data, eight deaths associated with the disease were confirmed in 2026: six in Pennsylvania and one each in New York and Wisconsin. The United States is expected to lose its official measles elimination status after the situation is reviewed by the Pan American Health Organization.
What the costs include
The estimate of nearly $83 million includes about $56 million in public health response costs, nearly $25 million in lost productivity, and more than $1.8 million in direct medical costs. The tool’s developers stress that this is not a final calculation of actual losses, but a model-based estimate relying on case numbers and current state data on hospitalization costs and wages.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
In 2025, when 2,289 confirmed measles cases were recorded in the United States, the economic burden of the outbreaks was estimated at more than $37 million. In particular, 48 cases in New York were estimated by the tool to cost about $1.1 million, while 803 cases in Texas cost nearly $13 million.
Quarantine and public health services work
Costs are not limited to treating infected people. After a case is detected, public health specialists must investigate the infection, identify and notify people who may have been in contact with the patient, coordinate with schools and hospitals, and sometimes organize vaccination campaigns.
A significant share of economic losses is also linked to quarantine and forced absences from work. People who have been in contact with a patient may be required to isolate even if they do not develop symptoms; parents may also miss work while caring for children. According to Joey Mattingly, a pharmacist and health economist at the University of Utah, quarantining one person can mean about $300 in lost productivity.
