Pennsylvania measles outbreak reaches 1,078 cases, largest since disease elimination in 2000

Pennsylvania is battling a severe measles outbreak that has reached 1,078 cases and five deaths, marking the largest state-level outbreak since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. The crisis has triggered a state of emergency in neighboring New York and exposed deep political divisions, as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro clashes with U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over the federal reporting of measles-associated deaths. Meanwhile, local clinics are working to build trust and boost vaccination rates in vulnerable, undervaccinated Amish communities.

Pennsylvania measles cases

• ▪The 2026 Pennsylvania measles outbreak is the largest state-level outbreak in the United States since the disease was declared eliminated domestically in 2000.
• ▪Lancaster County is the hardest-hit area in Pennsylvania, with 401 reported measles infections as of October 7, 2026.
• ▪Pennsylvania's health department reported 145 new measles cases in the first week of October 2026, bringing the state's total to 1,078 cases for the year.

Pennsylvania measles deaths

• ▪The five measles-related deaths in Pennsylvania in 2026 occurred in unvaccinated individuals, including a newborn, a 6-week-old, an 18-year-old, a 20-year-old, and a 40-year-old.
• ▪Pennsylvania health officials reported 207 hospitalizations and five deaths linked to the measles outbreak that began in April 2026.

Dispute over measles mortality data

• ▪Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. clashed after Kennedy claimed in August 2026 that the state's measles deaths were fabricated and ordered the CDC to change its counting methods.
• ▪The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shifted to using mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics for measles-related deaths rather than relying on state health departments.

Amish community vaccination rates

• ▪Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York have sizable Amish populations, which tend to have lower vaccination rates, contributing to the spread of measles.
• ▪The Central Pennsylvania Clinic in Belleville, which serves many Amish and Plain families, hosted pop-up clinics vaccinating over 90 people in August and September 2026.

National measles outbreak severity

• ▪The United States is experiencing its worst year for measles since 1991, with nearly 3,900 cases reported across 47 states and Washington, D.C. in 2026.
• ▪Medical experts expect the United States to lose its measles-free elimination status, which requires preventing continuous transmission of the virus for a 12-month period.

Debatable claims

• ▪RFK Jr.'s public skepticism of Pennsylvania's measles death toll harms the outbreak response
• ▪The CDC's shift to NCHS data for counting measles deaths undermines public health transparency
• ▪Losing its measles-free elimination status is a fundamental failure of the U.S. public health system