Pennsylvania Measles Cases Reach 1,078, With Most New Reports From Weeks-Old Infections
Pennsylvania added 74 new measles cases in its weekly update released October 7, bringing the state's 2026 total to 1,078 cases across 41 counties, ABC News reported on October 8.
State health officials emphasized that more than 40 of the 74 newly reported cases were infections from about two weeks ago that were only just entered into the system — they do not represent a new wave of transmission. The outbreak began in late April.
Lancaster County remains the epicenter, with 401 cases. The outbreak has resulted in 207 hospitalizations and five deaths: two unvaccinated adults, ages 18 and 40; two infants too young to be vaccinated; and an unvaccinated Lancaster County resident.
According to the health department, fewer than 1% of cases occurred in fully vaccinated individuals, and about one-third of cases are in people under 18. Health officials continue to urge residents to check their vaccination status, noting that two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles.
The surge comes as the U.S. faces its worst measles year in more than three decades, with roughly 4,080 cases reported nationally in 2026.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Sgt. 1st Class Aaron Duncan, U.S. Army, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
