The measles epidemic in the United States has surpassed 1,000 confirmed cases with three deaths so far, according to local data.

This is a stark resurgence of a vaccine-preventable disease that the country had declared eliminated, AFP reported.

The spike comes as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to undermine confidence in the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. He falsely claims that the highly effective injection is dangerous and contains fetal remains.

According to AFP, at least 1,012 cases have been reported since the beginning of the year, with more than 70% of them in Texas.

The Christian Mennonite community, which is skeptical of vaccines, has been particularly hard hit. It is located on the border between Texas and New Mexico.

The federal database maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lags behind state and county reports as the world-renowned health agency faces deep workforce and budget cuts under President Donald Trump's administration.

North Dakota is the latest state to report an outbreak of the disease, with nine cases so far. About 180 students have been forced to quarantine at home.

"This is the virus that is the most contagious infectious disease in humanity and is now spreading like wildfire," said Paul Offit, a pediatrician and vaccine expert at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

He warned that the true number of cases could be much higher, as people are avoiding seeking medical care.

"These three deaths equal the total number of measles deaths in this country in the last 25 years," the doctor explained.

Among the deaths so far are two young girls in Texas and an adult in New Mexico, all unvaccinated. This is the deadliest measles outbreak in the US in decades.

It is also the highest number of cases since 2019, when outbreaks in Orthodox Jewish communities in New York and New Jersey led to 1,274 cases of infection, but no deaths. | BGNES