US measles cases top 4,080 as New York declares disaster emergency and Pennsylvania exceeds 1,200 cases

As of October 8, 2026, the CDC confirmed 4,080 measles cases across 47 jurisdictions, a 193-case increase from the prior week. Pennsylvania has reported 1,222 cases including 219 hospitalizations and five deaths. New York declared a statewide disaster emergency on October 5 after reporting 108 cases. Children and teenagers aged 5 to 19 account for 42% of cases. The CDC has confirmed two measles-associated deaths in 2026, while Pennsylvania has reported five. This is the worst measles year in the United States since the early 1990s, with 42 outbreaks reported.

Claims

• ▪The CDC shifted to using mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics for measles deaths, rather than relying on state health departments, a change that has drawn scrutiny.
• ▪Children and teenagers aged 5 to 19 accounted for 1,716 cases or 42% of infections, followed by adults aged 20 and older at 1,635 cases or 40%.
• ▪New York declared a statewide disaster emergency over measles on October 5, 2026, after reporting 108 cases through October 3, including 92 cases since July 15.
• ▪Pennsylvania has reported five deaths linked to its measles outbreak, more than any other state.
• ▪Pennsylvania health officials have reported 1,222 measles cases in 2026, including 219 hospitalizations and five deaths.
• ▪Measles-related hospitalizations in 2026 stand at 414 or 10% of cases, compared with 244 hospitalizations in 2025.
• ▪The CDC has confirmed two measles-associated deaths in 2026, compared with three deaths in 2025.
• ▪State-level disaster declarations are an effective tool for controlling measles outbreaks
• ▪A total of 42 measles outbreaks have been reported in 2026, with 96% of confirmed cases being outbreak-associated.
• ▪The CDC confirmed 4,080 measles cases as of October 8, 2026, up 193 from the prior week, making 2026 the worst measles year since the early 1990s.
• ▪The federal response to the measles outbreak has been sufficient to contain its spread