The measles outbreak is "slowing." A newborn's family still can't meet her. - CBS News

What the report says

CBS News reported that Utah’s measles outbreak appears to be easing locally, but the situation remains disruptive for families with infants who cannot yet be vaccinated. The story focuses on Abby Laskey and Liam Hammons of Mill Creek, near Salt Lake City, whose daughter Kasey is seven weeks old and too young for the MMR vaccine. Because of the risk of exposure, her parents have avoided indoor public places and air travel, delaying visits with relatives including elderly family members.

According to CBS, Utah recently returned its measles vaccine guidance to the usual 12-month schedule after temporarily offering earlier shots during a period of higher spread. The state’s weekly case count has dropped from a March peak, but national numbers have continued to rise. CBS cited Johns Hopkins data showing 2,295 confirmed U.S. measles cases as of July 21, 2026, slightly above the prior year’s full-year total, while the CDC’s separate weekly count stood at 2,260 as of July 16. Utah had recorded 518 cases across 22 counties.

The report connects the family’s concerns to broader public health context: falling kindergarten MMR coverage, reduced herd protection, and the particular vulnerability of newborns, immunocompromised people and others who cannot rely on their own vaccination. It also notes scientific concerns that measles can weaken immune memory after infection.

CBS further reported that genetic sequencing links Utah’s cases to a continuing chain that began in West Texas in January 2025. The article says the United States’ measles elimination status, held since 2000, is now at risk as health authorities assess whether domestic transmission has persisted for a full year.