Pennsylvania measles outbreak spreads, with 55 new cases reported since Wednesday
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Pennsylvania has reported 55 new measles cases since Wednesday, bringing the total to 890 cases across 39 counties this year, with 173 hospitalizations and four deaths linked to the outbreak.
- The majority of cases are among unvaccinated individuals, with only less than 1% occurring in vaccinated people, and 31% of cases involve those under 18 years old.
- Lancaster County has the highest number of cases at 359, and state health officials have administered over 7,900 MMR vaccine doses through pop-up clinics and healthcare providers to combat the outbreak.
- The Pennsylvania Department of Health emphasizes that the MMR vaccine provides 97% lifetime protection and remains the best defense against measles, which is highly contagious and can cause severe health complications.
- Controversy surrounds the outbreak, with vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. questioning the validity of reported measles deaths, and the CDC reviewing additional information before including Pennsylvania deaths in the national tally.
