Home / Health / Pennsylvania Measles Cases Soar Past 1,500
Pennsylvania Measles Cases Soar Past 1,500
10 Nov
Summary
- Pennsylvania has reported 1,505 measles cases as of Monday.
- The state has seen 290 measles-related hospitalizations.
- Six measles-associated deaths have been reported this year.
Pennsylvania is currently facing its worst measles outbreak in years, with the number of reported cases climbing to 1,505 as of Monday. The state health department's dashboard indicates 73 new cases emerged over the preceding seven days. This surge has also led to an increase in hospitalizations, now at 290, and sadly, six measles-associated deaths have been recorded this year.
Individuals under 18 constitute a significant portion of the affected population, accounting for 33% of all cases. Alarmingly, less than 1% of those infected in Pennsylvania were fully vaccinated, underscoring concerns about vaccination status. Nationally, the U.S. has reported 5,182 measles cases this year, marking the highest annual tally since 1991, with unvaccinated or unknown vaccination status individuals comprising 96% of these cases.
Pennsylvania is the most heavily impacted state, followed by South Carolina and Utah. Experts from the Pan American Health Organization are set to review whether the U.S. still meets the criteria for measles elimination, a status it has held since 2000.
