3 new cases of measles reported in Lancaster County
LancasterOnline • • health
Key Points:
- Lancaster County has reported three new measles cases, increasing its total to 11 cases this year, while Berks County reported its first case of the year, bringing the state's total to 28.
- All 16 recent measles cases across Lancaster, Lebanon, and Berks counties involved individuals who were either unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status.
- The Department of Health is conducting contact tracing to identify and notify those exposed to measles, aiming to prevent further spread of the highly contagious virus.
- Measles symptoms can take up to two weeks to appear, allowing infected individuals to unknowingly transmit the virus during this period.
- Nationwide measles cases have surged to 1,842 as of May 8, putting the U.S. on track to surpass last year's total of 2,288 cases and potentially lose its measles elimination status granted in 2000.