HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA / RankWire.AI / – Pennsylvania has confirmed 943 measles cases across 39 counties in 2026, according to the state’s latest outbreak update. The Pennsylvania Department of Health recorded 176 hospitalizations and five measles-associated deaths through Sept. 30. The latest report added 40 cases since Sept. 28, showing continued transmission across the state. Health officials are tracking cases, hospitalizations, deaths, vaccination status and affected counties through the state’s measles dashboard.
The fifth death involved an unvaccinated Lancaster County resident who had tested positive for measles, the department said. Officials did not release additional identifying details, citing privacy protections. The state classifies the death as measles-associated under its reporting definition. Pennsylvania has now recorded five such deaths during the 2026 outbreak. The department reported the latest death to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of national measles surveillance.
Vaccination records show only four of Pennsylvania’s 943 confirmed cases involved people appropriately vaccinated for their age. That represents less than 1% of the state’s confirmed cases. The four vaccinated patients include three adults and one child from Centre, Jefferson, Lancaster and Lycoming counties. State health officials have directed residents without documented protection to contact a health care provider or pharmacist about measles, mumps and rubella vaccination.
Vaccination activity rises across Pennsylvania
Vaccination activity has increased during the outbreak. Pennsylvania health care providers administered more than 53,000 MMR doses during September, compared with about 25,000 in a typical month. Providers administered more than 49,000 doses in August. Pennsylvania Department of Health staff have also given more than 5,500 doses at 180 pop-up clinics since the outbreak began in late April. Department nurses have administered more than 8,500 MMR doses through pop-up clinics and state health centers during 2026.
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says two MMR doses are 97% effective at preventing measles. One dose is 93% effective. Pennsylvania officials say people with two documented doses do not need another dose for routine protection. Adults with one dose, or those who cannot locate vaccination records, should discuss vaccination with a health professional. The state offers vaccine access through providers, health departments, state health centers and participating community programs.
Measles cases rise across the United States
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours. Symptoms often begin with fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. A rash usually follows several days later, starting on the head and moving downward. Symptoms can appear seven to 21 days after exposure. Infected people can spread measles before the rash appears.
The Pennsylvania outbreak comes amid a broader rise in U.S. measles activity during 2026. The CDC had confirmed 3,659 cases nationwide as of Sept. 24, including cases across 47 reporting jurisdictions and among international visitors. The agency said 95% of confirmed cases were linked to outbreaks. The United States recorded 2,289 confirmed cases during all of 2025. The CDC says measles remains highly contagious and notes that the United States eliminated continuous domestic transmission in 2000. Pennsylvania publishes state figures separately because state and federal reporting schedules differ.