Indiana has reported 145 measles cases in 2026, with infections recorded in 21 counties, as a physician warns that declining confidence in vaccines could leave more people vulnerable to a disease that can cause serious complications. Indiana Government
Dr. Larry Bucshon, a physician and former Indiana congressman, says some people underestimate measles because they have rarely encountered it in recent decades.
“People say, well, measles isn’t here. That’s not true,” Bucshon said.
The Indiana Department of Health reported 145 cases as of Nov. 9. LaGrange County has recorded 36 cases, followed by Adams County with 19 and Wayne County with 17. Cases have also been reported in Allen, Jennings, Miami and Parke counties, among others. Indiana Government
Bucshon said widespread vaccination helped keep measles from circulating, giving some people the impression that the disease was no longer a threat.
“A lot of people used to say, ‘Well, I’m not vaccinated. I’ve never got the measles.’ That’s because everybody around you is vaccinated,” he said.
He said the anti-vaccination movement grew over the past decade and gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic, when confusion and debate over the coronavirus vaccine affected public confidence in vaccination more broadly.
Measles spreads through the air and can remain infectious in a room for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. According to the Indiana Department of Health, as many as nine out of 10 unprotected people exposed to someone with measles can become infected. Indiana Government
Bucshon said the disease can cause serious complications, particularly in young children and people with weakened immune systems.
“I think that people have a misunderstanding that this is a benign disease that you get it and then you’re immune, but it’s not,” he said. “There’s a number of people who will have serious complications, including death.”
The CDC says two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles. One dose is about 93% effective.
