Pennsylvania records 1,338 measles cases as national total passes 4,500

Federal health officials confirmed 178 new measles cases in the United States this week, pushing the 2026 national total to 4,588.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the figures on Friday, marking a more than doubling of cases compared to 2025. The agency tracks at least 43 distinct outbreaks across the country. Pennsylvania reports the highest burden, with 1,338 confirmed cases as of the same date. South Carolina and Utah each report more than 500 cases.

The discrepancy between state and federal data has drawn attention to how deaths are counted. Pennsylvania authorities list five measles associated deaths and are investigating a sixth. The CDC reports only three national deaths. The agency has declined to specify the location of the third death, leaving it unclear if it overlaps with Pennsylvania's tally. According to Reuters, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asked senior CDC officials in September to remove a specific death from the official count after questioning the cause.

Experts note that official numbers likely undercount the illness because common symptoms like fever, cough, and rash do not always prompt a doctor visit. Measles is highly contagious, hospitalizing one in five unvaccinated infected individuals. The disease kills one to three people out of every 1,000 infected. The vaccine is 97% effective, though it carries minor risks like soreness and low grade fever.

Kennedy has also moved to restructure vaccine oversight. He dismissed all 17 members of the expert panel that reviews vaccine changes, replacing them with ideologically aligned candidates. A court blocked those appointments in March. This week, HHS announced changes to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS. The proposal permits doctors to bill for reporting suspected vaccine injuries. While VAERS helps researchers track safety issues, it has also become a focal point for misinformation campaigns.

During his tenure, Kennedy has made several public statements regarding vaccine safety. He claimed children receive over 90 vaccine doses, linked vaccines to autism despite contrary evidence, and said the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine contains aborted fetal debris. He also suggested that vitamin A and cod liver oil might help treat measles, a claim leading physicians described as misleading. The CDC removed website language stating vaccines do not cause autism following his direction.

The next phase of the outbreak response includes the implementation of the new VAERS billing rules and continued state level tracking in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Utah. The CDC will continue to update its weekly case counts as new outbreaks are confirmed.