Pennsylvania has confirmed 1,398 measles cases so far in 2026, 85 of them in the past week, according to the state Department of Health's measles dashboard as of its October 28 update. Five people have died, 265 have been hospitalized, and fewer than 1% of the people infected were fully vaccinated. The dashboard updates at 2 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, so new numbers are due this afternoon.
Where the cases are
Cases have turned up in 44 of the state's 67 counties, but five counties account for nearly two-thirds of them:
- Lancaster County: 487
- Mifflin County: 198
- Chester County: 93
- Jefferson County: 87
- Snyder County: 52
The department also flags counties where measles is spreading locally, meaning cases that are not confined to one household or traced to another county. Its weekly list, last updated October 26, includes those five plus Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Elk, Franklin, Indiana, Mercer and Somerset counties, among others. The state says people who live in or travel to those counties may need a catch-up or early vaccine dose.
The first two deaths, reported in August, were Pennsylvania's first measles-associated deaths in 35 years.
Who is getting sick
A third of cases are in people under 18. The youngest and oldest patients are the most likely to end up in the hospital: about 36% of infected children under 5 and about 30% of patients 50 and older were admitted, compared with about 8% of those 10 to 17.
Early and catch-up vaccine doses
The state's early vaccine guidance changes the usual schedule in outbreak areas:
- Babies 6 to 11 months old should get one early MMR dose, then still get the routine doses at 12 to 15 months and 4 to 6 years. Babies under 6 months cannot be vaccinated.
- Children who already had one dose should get the second now if at least 28 days have passed, without waiting for school age.
- Teens and adults who never had measles or the vaccine should get two doses at least 28 days apart.
Anyone who is pregnant or has a severely weakened immune system should talk with a doctor first. The vaccine is available at doctors' offices, pharmacies, urgent care centers, federally funded health centers and State Health Centers, and the department's hotline is 1-877-PA-HEALTH (1-877-724-3258).
Providers in Pennsylvania give about 25,000 MMR doses in a typical month. They gave more than 56,000 in September and more than 39,000 in the first three weeks of October, the department said October 23. Its own staff have run 226 pop-up clinics since late April.
Symptoms to watch for
Measles usually starts 7 to 14 days after exposure, though it can take up to 21 days, with a high fever that can pass 104 degrees, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, followed by a rash. The department tells anyone with symptoms to talk with a health care provider. Travelers should be vaccinated at least two weeks before leaving the country.
