Pennsylvania Faces Largest Measles Outbreak in Decades as Case Count Rises to 1,000
Neighboring states are also reporting hundreds of cases, with over 3,800 recorded across the country
TL;DR
- Pennsylvania has surpassed 1,000 confirmed measles cases this year, with five deaths and 198 hospitalizations.
- Lancaster county is the hardest hit in Pennsylvania, with 391 cases, primarily affecting the 24-49 age range.
- Neighboring New York has declared a state of emergency due to 108 measles cases, and Ohio has reported over 200 cases.
- The US is experiencing its worst measles year since 1991, with 3,887 confirmed cases reported nationwide by October 1st.
- Outbreaks have occurred in multiple states, including Texas, Utah, and South Carolina.
- Health officials attribute the Pennsylvania outbreak, which began in April, to low vaccination rates.
- Measles was eliminated domestically in the US in 2000 due to high vaccination rates, but these have declined in recent years.
- A dispute between Pennsylvania's governor and the US health secretary over measles mortality classification is preventing state numbers from being included in CDC counts.
- International health officials will meet to determine if the US and Mexico have lost their measles-free status.