Preventable disease measles cases triple in Pa. since July

The outbreak is fueled by low vaccination rates, while the state races to protect thousands.

• Haley O'Brien/WITF
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  Haley O'Brien joined WITF in 2026. A native of Scranton, she enjoys exploring Pennsylvania's diverse communities. Haley previously worked at NPR/PBS stations in Northeast Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley, and has won awards for video storytelling and beat reporting.
• Jordan Wilkie/WITF
  BioRecent Stories

  

  As the democracy reporter for WITF, I will cover any kind of story that has to do with how we govern ourselves. That will include doing a lot of election coverage about how to access the ballot, how public officials administer elections, the technology used to run and secure elections, and the laws that govern it all.
  
  My work will also include accountability coverage for elected officials that use their positions to then undermine democratic institutions, like the legislators that voted against the certification of the presidential election results on January 6, 2021. If that weren’t enough, I foresee covering some local government decisions, fights over public records and transparency, and some candidate coverage around the major elections. As seen in my coverage of immigrant of LGBTQ+ communities, I also report on the consequences of elections for minority groups.

 AP Photo/Mary Conlon, File

FILE - Lauren Ellenburg, a nurse, prepares a combination measles, mumps and rubella vaccine for a patient at Tiger Pediatrics in Easley, S.C., March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Mary Conlon, File)

Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak has nearly tripled in the last month, and the state reported the first vaccinated individuals with the disease Friday. New data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health shows 676 cases reported statewide this year, with 108 new cases in the last week.

The outbreak is now in 37 counties, with Lancaster at the epicenter with about 44% of cases statewide. Pennsylvania has the second-most cases in the country, per data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The disease has hospitalized 124 Pennsylvanians.

“We are widely deploying resources, personnel and the single most effective tool we have the measles, mumps and rubella or MMR vaccine,” Pa. Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen said during a virtual briefing Friday. “Getting fully vaccinated is your best protection against the measles virus.“

The state’s response to the outbreak includes community outreach and vaccine clinics.

Two infants died last month while infected with measles, with conflicting statements from the county coroner, the state and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about the role the virus played. Lancaster’s coroner released details Wednesday  confirming one of the deaths was caused by the virus.

Bogen said the state administered 46,000 MMR vaccines in August, nearly twice as much as typically given in a month.

“I’m really encouraged to report that Pennsylvanians are hearing our message and taking this outbreak seriously,” Bogen said. “We are seeing an incredible surge of interest from residents stepping up to protect themselves, their families, and communities.”

The state also reported four individuals who are fully vaccinated developed measles. They live in Centre, Jefferson, Lancaster and Lycoming counties.

“We expect that a small percentage of vaccinated individuals will get measles,” Bogen said. “They are less likely to suffer complications… they are less likely to transmit the virus.”

Almost one out of five people who contract the highly contagious and airborne measles virus are hospitalized. Rates are slightly lower for children under 18, with 15% of cases leading to hospitalization so far in Pennsylvania’s outbreak.

Measles was nearly nonexistent in Pennsylvania for more than 30 years. But lower rates of vaccination opened the door to a new health crisis that is especially dangerous to young children, pregnant women and the elderly.

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