Pennsylvania Measles Outbreak Tops 1,200 Cases: What to Know

Where things stand

Sources: Pennsylvania Department of Health and U.S. News.

The five people who died included two infants too young to be vaccinated and two unvaccinated adults, ages 18 and 40, ABC News reports. The fifth person, from Lancaster County, had also not been vaccinated.

How it started

The outbreak was first spotted in Lebanon County in late April. The state issued a health advisory on May 1 after three cases turned up there, and contact tracing quickly found more. By summer the virus had spread into neighboring Lancaster County, and cases climbed steeply through August and September, according to the Wikipedia summary of the outbreak. Lancaster County alone had 391 cases by early October.

Why measles spreads so fast

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases there is. The virus travels through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes, and it can hang in a room or stay on surfaces for up to two hours. People are usually contagious from four days before their rash appears until four days after.

Symptoms to watch for

• The first signs look like a bad cold: fever, cough and a runny nose, plus red and watery eyes.
• After several days, a rash appears on the face and head, then moves down the body.
• Symptoms generally show up 7 to 21 days after exposure.

If you think you’ve been exposed and you have symptoms, call your health care provider before you go in, so the office can protect other patients. Pennsylvania residents can also reach the Department of Health at 877-PA-HEALTH (877-724-3258).

How to protect yourself and your family

• Check your records. Two documented doses of MMR protect about 97% of people for life. If you have records of both, you don’t need a booster.
• Not sure? If you got only one dose, or your records are lost, a doctor or pharmacist can tell you whether you need another.
• Kids: The CDC recommends the first dose at 12 to 15 months and the second at 4 to 6 years. Babies 6 to 11 months old who live in or are traveling to an outbreak area can get an early dose, according to ABC News.
• Where to go in Pennsylvania: besides your own doctor, MMR shots are available at county and city health departments, the state’s health centers and federally qualified health centers. Eligible kids can get them through the Vaccines for Children program.

The bigger picture

Nationwide, more than 3,800 measles cases have been reported this year, spread over 45 states plus the District of Columbia. That’s the highest U.S. total since 1991, according to CDC figures cited by ABC News. Kindergarten MMR coverage has slipped to 92.4%, down from 95.2% in the 2019–20 school year and below the roughly 95% level needed to stop measles from spreading.

There is a counter-trend. Pennsylvania’s doctors and pharmacies administered upward of 49,000 MMR shots in August and 56,000-plus in September, roughly twice their normal monthly pace of about 25,000, the state health department says.

Quick answers

How serious is measles?

It can cause pneumonia and brain swelling, and nearly 20% of the cases the state health department identified ended up in the hospital. Deaths are rare, about one to three per 1,000 cases, but there have been five in this outbreak.

I had measles shots as a kid. Am I protected?

If you have records of two doses, you’re considered protected for life. If you had only one dose or can’t find your records, ask your provider or pharmacist.

Is the outbreak slowing down?

The state said part of its Oct. 7 increase reflected cases reported late, weeks after people were sick, rather than a new surge. But new cases are still being added every week.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a health care provider about your situation.