Pennsylvania measles cases near 800 in ongoing outbreak

Key Points:

• Pennsylvania has reported nearly 100 new measles cases in the past week, totaling 792 cases in 2026, with the outbreak centered mainly in Lancaster County, which has over 300 cases.
• Four deaths have been linked to the outbreak, including two infants in Lancaster County, though there is dispute over the cause of some deaths, and the CDC has yet to list these fatalities on its measles data dashboard.
• The state is experiencing tensions with federal officials over the handling and reporting of the outbreak, with disagreements involving vaccination misinformation and requests for CDC assistance through the Epi-Aid program.
• Measles exposures have occurred in Philadelphia at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Philadelphia International Airport, prompting isolation and treatment efforts to protect vulnerable infants.
• Vaccination rates in Pennsylvania have declined over the years, but recent outbreaks have increased public interest in immunization, leading to numerous pop-up clinics and a significant rise in MMR vaccine doses administered since April.