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Measles cases surpass 1,000 in Pennsylvania amid the state's largest outbreak in decades
ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos • • general
Key Points:
- Pennsylvania has reported over 1,000 measles cases in 2026, marking its largest outbreak in decades, with 1,004 cases across 39 counties and 198 hospitalizations.
- Five measles-related deaths have occurred, including two unvaccinated adults, two infants too young for vaccination, and one unvaccinated individual from Lancaster County, the outbreak's epicenter.
- Less than 1% of cases involve fully vaccinated individuals, highlighting the effectiveness of the MMR vaccine, which the CDC recommends in two doses for children.
- The CDC has expressed readiness to assist Pennsylvania with an Epi-Aid response but has not received a formal request; meanwhile, the U.S. has seen over 3,800 measles cases in 2026, the highest since 1991.
- Vaccination rates have declined since the pre-pandemic period, with 92.4% of kindergartners vaccinated in 2025-2026 compared to 95.2% in 2019-2020, prompting increased vaccination efforts by Pennsylvania health officials.
