Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces scrutiny this week as a panel advising the Pan American Health Organization reviews U.S. measles data. The closed-door sessions of the Regional Verification Commission for the Elimination of Measles, Rubella, and Congenital Rubella Syndrome will determine if the country retains elimination status declared in 2000.

The review comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 5,182 measles cases nationwide in 2026 through early November, the highest annual total since 1991. Combined with 2,289 cases in 2025, the two-year total exceeds 7,000 infections across 45 states and the District of Columbia. Pennsylvania reported the largest outbreak with more than 1,400 cases and six associated deaths. New York and Wisconsin each confirmed one death this year.

Elimination status requires no sustained transmission of the same measles virus strain for 12 months. U.S. data show continuous circulation meeting that threshold in January 2026. Several states including Utah have documented linked cases spanning more than a year. The commission postponed its decision from April to allow further analysis.

Vaccination coverage among kindergartners stands at 92.4 percent nationally, below the 95 percent threshold needed to prevent endemic spread. The majority of 2026 cases occurred in unvaccinated individuals or those with unknown status. Outbreaks have also affected adults, with over 2,100 cases reported in people aged 20 and older.

Kennedy has directed federal support to affected states and emphasized treatment options alongside vaccination efforts. The CDC under his leadership has adjusted death reporting methods, leading to discrepancies with state counts. Pennsylvania alone documented six measles-linked deaths, while federal tallies list four nationwide.

The outcome of the PAHO review will influence U.S. public health standing in the Americas. Similar evaluations recently removed elimination status from several European and Central Asian nations. Additional state outbreaks continue in Wisconsin, South Carolina, and Utah.