Amid declining vaccination rates and weakened public health systems, the U.S. faces a troubling resurgence of preventable childhood diseases like measles and whopping cough. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States has officially recorded 712 confirmed cases of measles across 24 states — the highest figure since 2019 and a number that’s rising week by week. This spike has put the nation on the brink of exceeding the 1,274 cases recorded in 2019, a milestone that would make this the worst measles outbreak in more than three decades, dating back to 1992.

The majority of cases have emerged in western Texas, where health departments are battling an outbreak that began in January. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 541 cases have been reported in Texas alone, a jump of 36 in just a few days.

Even more distressing: at least two confirmed deaths have occurred in school-aged, unvaccinated children, and a third fatality in an unvaccinated New Mexican adult is under investigation.

Why Are Measles Cases Suddenly Spiking Again?

Once considered eliminated from the U.S. in 2000, measles is making a worrying comeback. The key reason? Lagging vaccination rates.

The CDC has confirmed that 97% of current cases are among the unvaccinated or those with unknown vaccination status. Only a tiny fraction (3%) had received one or both doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which remains over 90% effective in preventing the disease.

The agency recommends two MMR doses — the first at 12–15 months, and the second between 4–6 years of age. Still, vaccination coverage has dropped significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, making communities more vulnerable.

Who Is Most at Risk?

Children remain the most affected demographic. The CDC reports that 11% of all measles patients this year have been hospitalized, most under the age of 19. The outbreak also places babies under one year — too young for their first MMR shot — at high risk of severe complications, including pneumonia, brain swelling, and death.

These outcomes underscore the community-wide importance of high vaccination coverage: when the majority is protected, herd immunity shields those who can’t yet be vaccinated, such as newborns and immunocompromised individuals.

Whooping Cough Isn’t Far Behind

While measles has grabbed headlines, pertussis commonly known as whooping cough is surging just as dramatically — and with deadly consequences.

After reaching historic lows during the pandemic, pertussis cases have skyrocketed by over 1,500% since 2021, with 10 deaths in 2024 — far exceeding the usual 2–4 deaths per year. Already in 2025, the CDC has documented 7,111 cases, more than double this time last year, and experts fear the numbers will spike further as we move into summer and fall.

Recent fatalities include two infants in Louisiana, a child in Washington state (its first pertussis death in a decade), and others in Idaho, South Dakota, and Oregon, where two died last year.

Why Are Vaccine Rates Dropping Fast?

The sharp rise in both measles and whooping cough can be traced back to declining vaccination rates across the U.S. According to ProPublica’s analysis of federal data, at least 36 states have seen a drop in vaccination coverage for key childhood diseases since the 2013–14 school year. In some states — notably Wisconsin, Utah, and Alaska — the drop exceeds 10 percentage points.

For instance, in Washington, kindergarten vaccination for whooping cough sits at 90.2%, just under the national average. But the coverage for toddlers between 19–35 months is just 65.4%, with some counties reporting rates below 12% — levels dangerously insufficient for community immunity.

This crisis isn’t unfolding in a vacuum. Experts point to significant federal cuts to public health infrastructure, including staffing and vaccination programs, over the past decade. On top of that, vaccine misinformation and distrust have surged — exacerbated by political figures with anti-vaccine sentiments.

Ironically, it wasn’t until two measles-related child deaths occurred in Texas that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine skeptic, acknowledged the importance of the MMR vaccine, calling it “the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles.” But the damage may already be unfolding.

The measles virus is one of the most contagious pathogens known, capable of spreading via airborne droplets and lingering in a room for up to two hours. A single infected individual can transmit it to up to 90% of nearby unvaccinated people.

Similarly, pertussis poses extreme danger to newborns, who can suffer from breathing pauses, brain damage, and pneumonia. The CDC urges pregnant women and caregivers of infants to receive the Tdap vaccine as a protective measure.

Yet declining trust in vaccines, paired with cutbacks to preventive care access, poses a growing risk to public health — one that could usher in the return of once-contained diseases like polio, diphtheria, and hepatitis B.

This isn’t just a momentary public health scare — it's a wake-up call. Vaccines are not just personal choices; they are public responsibilities. Each missed shot creates an opening for an outbreak, and each outbreak endangers the most vulnerable members of our society.

For two decades, American-led investment through programs like PEPFAR (The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) has helped slash global AIDS-related deaths to their lowest levels in over 30 years. But this progress is now at serious risk. A sudden and sweeping withdrawal of U.S. foreign aid has triggered what the United Nations is calling a “systemic shock” to HIV response systems around the world.

According to a new UNAIDS report, if the funding gap remains unresolved, the world could see more than 4 million additional AIDS-related deaths and 6 million new HIV infections by 2029. The consequences are already visible — health facilities shuttered, supply chains broken, testing and treatment disrupted, and clinics in sub-Saharan Africa forced to halt vital HIV services.

In January, President Trump abruptly suspended all foreign aid and took steps to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). That move wiped out $4 billion in pledged HIV funding for 2025, including the backbone funding for programs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Launched in 2003 under President George W. Bush, PEPFAR has been called the largest commitment by any country to fight a single disease. Since its inception, it has supported HIV testing for more than 84 million people and treatment for over 20 million. Countries like Nigeria, where 99.9% of the national HIV prevention budget was supported by PEPFAR, are now facing catastrophic disruption.

Andrew Hill, an HIV researcher at the University of Liverpool, criticized the U.S. government's abrupt move: “Any responsible government would have given advance warning so countries could plan,” he said. “Instead, patients were stranded, and clinics closed overnight.”

The Domino Effect

The fallout from the funding cut is widespread. UNAIDS has reported large-scale impacts: medical facilities without staff, vital medications running out, and HIV testing and surveillance collapsing in several regions.

The U.S. was the main funder of HIV data systems across Africa — from patient records to electronic surveillance systems. With that infrastructure now unsupported, global experts worry that tracking and controlling the spread of HIV is about to get significantly harder.

“Without reliable data about how HIV is spreading, it will be incredibly hard to stop it,” said Dr. Chris Beyrer, director of the Global Health Institute at Duke University.

What makes this funding crisis even more tragic is the timing. Just as the world reaches the brink of a possible HIV breakthrough, it may be losing the means to distribute it.

Gilead’s new injectable drug, Yeztugo, was approved by the U.S. FDA last month. Clinical trials suggest it is 100% effective at preventing HIV when administered twice a year. At a launch event, South Africa’s Health Minister, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, emphasized its potential: “We will move mountains and rivers to make sure every adolescent girl who needs it will get it.”

Yet many countries may never see the drug. Gilead has promised low-cost generic versions for 120 poorer countries, but has notably excluded most of Latin America — where HIV rates are increasing, even if they are lower overall.

Peter Maybarduk, director at Public Citizen, called it a “threshold moment” in the fight against AIDS. But he fears it will be squandered: “We could be ending AIDS. Instead, the U.S. is abandoning the fight.”

Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for roughly half of all new HIV infections globally. Even before the U.S. pullback, access to care and medication in the region was fragile and uneven.

Dr. Tom Ellman, with Doctors Without Borders in South Africa, put it bluntly: “There’s nothing we can do that will protect these countries from the sudden, vicious withdrawal of support from the U.S.”

While some nations have begun building domestic HIV response programs, the gap left by the U.S. is simply too wide. Prevention campaigns are faltering, awareness efforts have stalled, and many community-based initiatives have been forced to shut down or drastically scale back.

In 2004, AIDS claimed nearly 2 million lives globally. By 2024, that number had dropped to around 630,000, largely thanks to international funding and collaborative programs. But UNAIDS warns that without renewed support, these hard-won gains could unravel rapidly.

Geopolitical shifts, ongoing wars, and climate-related disruptions are already putting pressure on global health cooperation. The loss of the U.S. as a stabilizing force in the HIV response leaves many questioning what’s next.

The most vulnerable — young women, children, LGBTQ+ communities, and those in poverty — stand to lose the most.

UNAIDS and other global health leaders are urging the international community to step up. Whether through restoring U.S. funding or rallying alternative donors, a coordinated response is essential. Experts are also calling for pharmaceutical companies like Gilead to expand access and reduce costs, ensuring that breakthroughs don’t become tools of inequality.

The global AIDS fight is far from over. In fact, this moment may determine whether it's won or lost.

If nothing changes, the consequences are clear: millions of lives in the balance, and a public health crisis reborn from neglect.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) might sound like a complicated medical term, but for millions of families across the globe, especially in India, it’s become a harsh and deadly reality. Though often mistaken for a seasonal cold, RSV is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children under five—and it’s killing thousands.

Each year, RSV is linked to approximately 3.6 million hospitalisations and nearly 100,000 deaths in children under five. India, with its annual birth cohort of over 25 million, contributes significantly to this global burden. In 2024 alone, 2,360 infant deaths in just three cities—Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Mumbai—were reported as RSV-related and experts believe this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a highly contagious virus that infects the respiratory tract, particularly affecting the nose, throat, lungs, and breathing passages. It spreads through droplets from an infected person via coughing, sneezing, or even kissing. Contaminated surfaces like cribs, toys, or door handles can also carry the virus for hours.

RSV is so widespread that almost every child is infected by it at least once by the age of two. While it might look like a regular cold in some cases, in many infants, RSV progresses rapidly into bronchiolitis or pneumonia—both of which can be life-threatening.

Shockingly, around 80% of children under two who are hospitalised with RSV have no prior risk factors. Which means even full-term, healthy infants are at risk.

Why Is RSV So Underdiagnosed in India?

Despite being a notifiable disease in India for nearly five decades, RSV is severely under-tested. Dr. Vasant M. Khalatkar, National President of the IAP, pointed out that RSV testing in India often happens only when a full-blown outbreak occurs—like the one seen in Kolkata earlier this year.

“People still treat it as a bad cold,” Dr. Khalatkar said at a Bengaluru roundtable on RSV. “But for infants, RSV can escalate within three days from mild symptoms to severe respiratory complications that demand hospitalisation, oxygen support, or ventilation.”

A lack of awareness among caregivers and healthcare providers, combined with limited diagnostic access, has created a dangerous information gap—one that continues to cost young lives.

RSV Is the Leading Cause of Pediatric Respiratory Illness in India

Dr. Bhavesh Kotak, Head of Medical Affairs at Dr Reddy’s, underscored that RSV accounts for 63% of all acute respiratory infections in young children, citing WHO-backed data. In India, this means a significant share of childhood respiratory hospitalisations are linked to RSV, especially during monsoon and early winter months.

RSV doesn’t discriminate—children from all socio-economic backgrounds, including those born full-term, are frequently hospitalised. Unlike in high-income countries that have early preventive care and widespread immunisation, India still struggles with timely diagnosis and access to life-saving tools.

The most promising development in the fight against RSV is the introduction of long-acting monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and maternal vaccines—both backed by WHO and CDC guidelines.

Palivizumab, available for several years, has been used in high-risk infants but requires monthly doses throughout the RSV season.

Nirsevimab, a new and highly effective long-acting antibody, offers season-long protection with a single dose and is now being rolled out globally, including in India.

Additionally, the WHO recommends maternal vaccination with Abrysvo® during weeks 32–36 of pregnancy to protect babies after birth. This approach helps infants develop passive immunity and dramatically lowers their risk of severe RSV disease.

Dr. Khalatkar emphasised that immunisation—when paired with awareness and access—can significantly reduce RSV-related hospitalisations and deaths.

Is This Crisis Preventable?

Let’s break this down: India has 25 million newborns annually. Without preventive strategies, even a small percentage developing severe RSV means hundreds of thousands of hospitalisations and thousands of avoidable deaths. Unlike high-income countries, India faces several hurdles:

• Low RSV awareness among parents and healthcare providers
• Infrequent diagnostic testing
• Limited access to immunisation options
• Lack of inclusion of RSV immunisation in national programs

This gap is precisely where action is most needed.

Global Agencies Push for Immunisation

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), RSV is the leading cause of hospitalisation in U.S. children under one year. RSV also causes 100,000–160,000 hospitalisations annually in U.S. adults aged 60 and older. The CDC recommends:

• One-time RSV vaccination for adults 75+ and those aged 60–74 with chronic conditions
• Maternal RSV vaccine for pregnant women during the third trimester
• Nirsevimab injection for babies born during or just before RSV season (October to March)

If adopted effectively in India, similar immunisation protocols could transform RSV management—especially for the first 6 months of an infant’s life, when vulnerability is highest.

Simple precautions like handwashing, covering coughs, and disinfecting surfaces are useful but insufficient in high-burden, high-transmission environments—particularly for babies under 12 months. Experts unanimously agree that preventive immunisation is the game-changer.

WHO’s Dr. Kate O’Brien summed it up clearly: “The RSV immunisation products can transform the fight against severe RSV disease, dramatically reduce hospitalisations and deaths, and save many infant lives globally.”

RSV is no longer a vague acronym in pediatric medicine—it’s a clear and present danger to child health in India and worldwide. And while developed nations have made strides in RSV prevention, India remains at a critical crossroad.

The CDC has just delivered a reality check revealing over 8.4 million American teens aged 12 to 17—roughly one in three—are prediabetic. That’s 32.7% of U.S. adolescents showing early signs of blood sugar trouble that could spiral into full-blown type 2 diabetes. And this isn’t just about elevated glucose levels. This is a window into a much larger crisis: preventable chronic illness silently growing among kids who haven’t even finished high school.

“This is a wake-up call,” says Dr. Christopher Holliday, the CDC’s Director for Diabetes Translation, pointing to the massive and preventable health burden the country now faces. The warning is clear—teen health is declining, and unless there’s a nationwide shift in how we approach diet, movement, stress, and sleep, things are going to get worse before they get better.

Prediabetes means your blood sugar levels are elevated but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. It’s like standing at the edge of a cliff—you’re not falling yet, but you’re dangerously close.

During puberty, a teen’s body undergoes hormonal shifts that can naturally interfere with how well insulin works. According to Yale Medicine, this makes adolescence a critical window for diabetes risk to take root. Without intervention, prediabetes can evolve into type 2 diabetes, paving the way for serious health complications including kidney damage, stroke, and cardiovascular disease.

Type 2 diabetes itself is a long-term condition where the body struggles to use insulin properly. Over time, blood sugar builds up in the bloodstream and starts damaging tissues and organs. The progression is slow and mostly silent. Many don’t even know they’re prediabetic until symptoms become too obvious to ignore.

The CDC's 2023 data isn’t the first red flag. A 2020 study published in JAMA Pediatrics revealed that the prediabetes rate in teens more than doubled between 1999 and 2018—from 12% to 28%. The latest CDC estimate of 32.7% suggests that the trend hasn’t just continued—it’s accelerating.

What’s even more sobering is how unevenly this crisis affects different groups. Teens living in poverty are significantly more likely to be prediabetic, tied to issues like food insecurity, poor access to healthcare, and systemic inequality. Research from the University of Pittsburgh connects prediabetes risk with lack of insurance and household incomes below 130% of the federal poverty level.

And there’s a racial disparity too: African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, and some Asian American communities carry a disproportionately high burden of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Is This Collision of Lifestyle and Access?

There’s no single culprit. But a combination of poor nutrition, sedentary habits, limited access to safe outdoor spaces, ultra-processed food marketing, and rising stress levels among adolescents are all playing a role.

Let’s be honest—the modern American teen lifestyle is working against metabolic health. Fast food is cheap and available everywhere. Physical education has been reduced or eliminated in many schools. Screen time has skyrocketed, especially since the pandemic. Many families, particularly those struggling financially, don’t have the luxury of prioritizing healthy eating or gym memberships.

Add to that a healthcare system that often fails to screen for prediabetes in young people, and you’ve got a perfect storm.

Can Lifestyle Tweaks Actually Reverse Prediabetes?

Yes—and this is where the good news comes in. According to the American Diabetes Association, prediabetes can be reversed or delayed through sustainable, everyday choices. Dr. Holliday emphasizes that “simple life changes—like healthy eating and staying active—can make a big difference.” Here’s what makes the biggest impact:

• Teens should be active at least three times a week—but ideally more. This doesn’t mean hours at the gym. Walking, biking, dancing, or playing a sport counts.
• Meals should center around whole foods—vegetables, fruits, whole grains—while cutting back on sugary beverages, red meats, and refined carbs.
• Even a 5–7% reduction in body weight in overweight individuals has been shown to significantly lower diabetes risk.
• Chronic stress raises cortisol, which can mess with blood sugar. Meanwhile, lack of sleep can interfere with insulin function. Most teens need 8–10 hours per night.

These aren’t drastic changes. In fact, experts say even modest shifts in habits can dramatically reduce risk.

Is This A Problem of Awareness and Urgency?

One of the most troubling aspects of prediabetes is how few people know they have it. Among American adults, more than 80% of those with prediabetes are unaware. And in teens, the lack of screening and routine checkups makes it even easier for warning signs to go unnoticed.

The key now is early intervention. Pediatricians, schools, and families need to be having these conversations. Blood sugar testing should be routine for at-risk teens. And public health efforts must prioritize communities most affected—those dealing with food deserts, high poverty rates, and systemic barriers to care.

What Needs to Change at a National Healthcare Level?

This isn’t just a family-level issue. It’s a national health crisis that demands systemic action. Here’s what needs to shift:

Healthcare policy: Expand routine screenings for teens, especially in underserved populations.

Food access programs: Subsidize fresh produce in low-income areas and restrict junk food marketing to kids.

School reforms: Reinstate physical education, revamp cafeteria offerings, and make mental health counseling widely available.

Community initiatives: Fund safe recreational spaces, after-school sports, and education campaigns targeting families and caregivers.

The fact that over 8 million U.S. teens are already prediabetic should stop us in our tracks but this isn’t a lost cause. Prediabetes doesn’t have to become diabetes. The road ahead doesn’t require miracles—just smarter choices, better systems, and the will to prioritize adolescent health. If the U.S. can treat this data as the urgent warning it is, we can flip the script on youth diabetes before it's too late.