Pennsylvania has recorded more than 1,000 measles cases this year, according to state health officials, marking the largest outbreak in any state in more than 30 years. The milestone comes as neighboring New York has declared a state of emergency over rising measles infections.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health said Monday that 1,004 cases had been confirmed. Five state residents have died after contracting measles, while 198 people have been hospitalized.
Lancaster County remains the center of the outbreak, with 391 cases, official figures show. The county has sizable Amish and Mennonite communities. Case numbers have climbed over the past three months, with people ages 24 to 49 accounting for the largest share of infections.
Pennsylvania’s figures are not included in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s national tally because of an unresolved dispute between Governor Josh Shapiro and US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr over how measles-related deaths should be classified.
Shapiro has described Kennedy as “incompetent,” while Kennedy has publicly challenged whether the deaths recorded by Pennsylvania were directly caused by measles. The CDC, which Kennedy oversees, currently reports two measles deaths in the US this year.
Shapiro has responded by expanding access to the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine in communities affected by the outbreak.
“I want every Pennsylvanian to know this: measles does not care about your county, your faith, or your social circle,” he said in August. “I urge everyone to take this seriously and to discuss any concerns with their trusted health care provider.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also declared a state of emergency on Monday, citing 108 measles cases statewide as of October 3.
Ohio, which borders Pennsylvania, has likewise reported a growing number of infections, with more than 200 cases this year. The state, like Pennsylvania, has a significant Amish population.
The US is experiencing its worst measles year since 1991. As of October 1, the CDC had recorded 3,887 confirmed cases nationwide, as well as the highest number of measles-associated deaths in decades.
Outbreaks have also been reported in Texas, Utah and South Carolina. South Carolina has recorded the largest outbreak, with 997 cases.
Pennsylvania health officials say the current outbreak began in April in an area west of Philadelphia. They have linked its spread to low vaccination rates.
The Associated Press reported that the last outbreak to exceed 1,000 cases occurred in New York City in the early 1990s, when more than 4,500 people were infected. Reuters reported that the measles resurgences of 1989 and 1991 resulted in 55,000 infections and 123 deaths.
The US eliminated domestic measles transmission in 2000 after achieving high vaccination coverage. In recent years, however, coverage has fallen below the 95% level considered necessary to prevent outbreaks.
International health officials are scheduled to meet in November to decide whether the US and Mexico have lost their measles-free status.
