Pennsylvania measles cases rise to 890 as health officials expand vaccination efforts

The Pennsylvania Department of Health said Friday that 55 new measles cases were confirmed since Wednesday, raising the statewide total for 2026 to 890 across 39 counties. Hospitalizations have reached at least 173 and four deaths have been linked to the outbreak.

Data show that fewer than 1% of the cases involve individuals who were fully vaccinated with the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine. The majority of infections are among adults aged 25 to 49, followed by those aged 18 to 24. Lancaster County leads with 359 cases, while Mifflin County reports 102.

State officials have administered more than 5,300 MMR doses at 165 pop-up clinics since the outbreak began in late April, and a total of over 7,900 doses have been given in 2026. Additional clinics are planned based on community demand. Health providers have noted a surge in vaccine interest, with August seeing over 49,000 doses administered and more than 38,000 in the first three weeks of September, compared with the typical monthly figure of about 25,000.

"State health officials have administered more than 5,300 MMR vaccinations at 165 pop-up vaccination clinics in the affected communities since the outbreak began in late April," the department said in a press release.

The department urges anyone who believes they may have been exposed and who shows symptoms to contact a health-care provider or call the toll-free hotline at 877-PA-HEALTH.

Nationally, measles cases have exceeded 3,600 in 2026, affecting 45 states and Washington, D.C., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC recommends two MMR doses—first at 12-15 months and second at 4-6 years—with effectiveness of 93% after one dose and 97% after two.

Vaccination coverage among kindergarteners fell to 92.4% for the 2025-2026 school year, down from 95.2% in 2019-2020.

"I think it is concerning that there will be more outbreaks, some larger, some smaller, because it is clear from the national data that a proportion of parents are withholding their children from vaccination," said Dr. William Schaffner, professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

He added that parents should discuss any concerns with their child's doctor.