Measles is spreading through Pennsylvania’s Amish country. Doctors are scrambling to keep up.
MS NOW • • health
Key Points:
- A measles outbreak is spreading through largely unvaccinated Amish communities in Belleville and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, causing severe illness and hospitalizations.
- Doctors at the Central Pennsylvania Clinic are struggling to contain the outbreak and warn that it may strain hospital resources, especially as flu season approaches.
- The Pennsylvania Department of Health has reported four measles-related deaths, but the CDC has only recognized one nationwide, leading to public disagreement between state officials and federal health authorities.
- The Trump administration has cast doubt on the safety and necessity of the combined MMR vaccine, despite medical experts affirming its safety and effectiveness in preventing measles.
- Healthcare providers express concern over limited hospital capacity, particularly the scarcity of negative-pressure rooms needed to isolate measles patients and prevent further spread.
