Pennsylvania Reports 55 New Measles Cases, Lifting 2026 Total to 890
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Sep 26
Pennsylvania Reports 55 New Measles Cases, Lifting 2026 Total to 890
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 26
Summary
Pennsylvania logged 55 new measles cases in two days, bringing the 2026 total to 890 across 39 counties, with Lancaster County alone accounting for 359 infections.
The outbreak has caused 173 hospitalizations and four measles-associated deaths, while state data show fewer than 1% of cases were in vaccinated people and 31% were in those under 18.
Since the outbreak began in late April, the state has given more than 5,300 MMR shots at 165 pop-up clinics and more than 7,900 doses statewide, with more clinics planned as demand rises.
The update comes after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. questioned whether Pennsylvania's measles deaths were real, and after the CDC in August excluded two state-reported deaths from its national tally pending review.
Nationally, the CDC had recorded more than 3,659 measles cases by Sept. 24, already far above the 2,289 confirmed for all of 2025.
Why is the CDC refusing to count half of Pennsylvania's reported measles deaths in its national tally?
With kindergarten vaccination rates plummeting, could your local school be the next epicenter of this historic outbreak?
The 2026 U.S. Measles Crisis: Record Outbreaks, Vaccine Decline, and the Erosion of Public Health Protections
Overview
In 2026, the United States faces a historic measles resurgence, with over 3,400 cases across 47 states. This crisis is fueled by declining childhood vaccination rates, rising non-medical exemptions, and growing vaccine hesitancy—trends worsened by the politicization of immunization during the COVID-19 pandemic and amplified by anti-vaccine rhetoric from national figures. Pennsylvania is especially hard-hit, experiencing severe outbreaks and deaths, while healthcare systems struggle under immense strain. As community immunity drops below the 95% threshold, not only measles but other vaccine-preventable diseases like whooping cough and mumps are making a comeback, signaling a broader public health emergency.