Pennsylvania's Measles Outbreak Passes 1,000 Confirmed Cases

The Pennsylvania Department of Health said on Oct. 5, 2026, that 1,004 measles cases have been confirmed across 39 counties in the state so far this year, with 198 hospitalizations and five confirmed measles-associated deaths.

Those are cumulative totals for 2026, not a single day's count: the department's statewide update recorded 27 new positive cases since Oct. 2, 2026. It said daily numbers fluctuate, but that tracking the trend gives residents and health care providers a view of how widely the virus is spreading and helps inform its response.

The outbreak began in late April, and four of the confirmed cases were in people who had been vaccinated. The department describes measles as a highly contagious respiratory virus that can cause pneumonia and brain swelling.

State health center staff have run 192 pop-up vaccination clinics in affected communities since the outbreak began, and more are scheduled. Demand has risen beyond them: the department said providers across Pennsylvania administered more than 53,000 doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine in September, against about 25,000 in a typical month. Two doses give 97% protection for life, and the department directs residents who want the vaccine to a health care provider.

The department said measles symptoms begin with fever, cough, a runny nose and red eyes, followed days later by a rash that starts on the head and spreads downward. The virus stays infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the area.