Pennsylvania measles cases near 800 as outbreak grows

Sept 21 (Reuters) – The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 792 measles cases on Monday, 25 more than on Friday, as the state’s outbreak grew further, remaining at the center of the nation’s worst measles resurgence in decades.

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Here are some more details:

• The state health department confirmed 155 hospitalized measles patients, up from the 150 reported on September 18.

• Lancaster County has remained the hardest-hit area in the state throughout the outbreak.

• Earlier this month, Pennsylvania reported measles-related deaths among unvaccinated residents, a toll that sparked disagreement between Governor Josh Shapiro and U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over how many fatalities were directly caused by the virus.

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• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet added Pennsylvania’s 2026 measles deaths to its national count. The agency has said it is reviewing how it classifies such deaths.

• The US has recorded 3,471 measles cases this year as of September 17, according to CDC data.

• Measles, a highly contagious viral disease, can cause fever, rash and respiratory complications, but is easily preventable with the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, a routine childhood immunization that is 97% effective after two doses.

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(Reporting by Kamal Choudhury in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published September 21, 2026 at 2:40 PM.