U.S. measles cases surpass 4,000, with over 25 percent coming from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania reports more than a quarter of U.S. cases as health officials expand pop-up vaccination clinics and federal agencies offer added funding.
- On Monday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency as nearly 3,900 measles cases were reported nationwide this year, driven by outbreaks in neighboring states and under-immunized rural communities within New York.
- Pennsylvania serves as the outbreak epicenter with 1,004 cases, as vaccination rates in Lancaster County fell to 88% last school year compared to 97% statewide. Dr. Richard Kang, a pediatrician with Dignity Health, noted that communities are vulnerable when coverage drops below 95%.
- A dispute persists over death counts, as Pennsylvania reports five measles-related deaths since late August while the CDC has counted only two nationally. U.S. Health Secretary Robert Kennedy questioned the state's classification, creating disagreement over how deaths are defined.
- Nearly 20% of measles patients require hospitalization, with infants and immunocompromised individuals facing the highest risks. Health officials are scrambling to contain the spread as people prepare to travel and gather for the holidays.
- In November, the Pan American Health Organization will review whether the United States has lost the measles-free status it has held since 2000. Losing the designation would reflect the past year's rising infections rather than determine future outcomes.
97 Articles
97 Articles
As measles continues to spread, health officials are seeing vaccine interest rise
Instructions for a measles vaccination are seen outside of the Lubbock Public Health facility on April 9, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images) As measles continues to spread across the U.S., local health officials say it
Montrose Daily Press
Measles cases reach 4,080 for the year — the highest in decades
Measles cases for the calendar year surpassed 4,000 for the first time in decades, with as many as five deaths in Pennsylvania, as the federal government steps in with financial help for states but also fans vaccination fears and skepticism.
Since 1963 there has been a vaccine to prevent this disease, which remains one of the main tools to reduce the risk of infection.
The United States is currently experiencing its largest measles outbreak since 1991. In 2026, over 4,000 cases have been recorded, of which over a thousand of them are in the state of Pennsylvania alone. Now the United States is at risk of losing its status as a measles-free country.
Idaho Press
Post RegisterMeasles explodes past 4,000 cases nationwide, the most in 35 years
Measles cases for the calendar year surpassed 4,000 for the first time in decades, with as many as five deaths in Pennsylvania, as the federal government steps in with financial help for states but also fans vaccination fears and skepticism.
A major measles outbreak in Pennsylvania primarily affects the Amish community, but people outside of it are also getting infected now that the Trump administration is casting suspicion on vaccinations. "In healthcare, we saw this coming from miles away."
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