Seven new Lancaster County cases in the past week pushed Pennsylvania's 2026 measles total to 94, with the state also logging two new infections in Chester County and one in Berks County.
Eighty-two of those cases are tied to localized outbreaks across seven counties, and all statewide infections have occurred in unvaccinated people or in people whose vaccination status is unknown.
Lancaster doctors said a handful of adults have been hospitalized with severe measles complications, including electrolyte abnormalities and kidney, liver and blood-count problems that can raise risks of organ failure, infection and bleeding.
Two vaccine doses provide 97% protection, state health officials said, while one measles case can infect 12 to 18 nonimmune people and carries a 90% transmission risk for an unvaccinated person sharing a room.
The state surge mirrors a national rebound: the CDC counted 2,170 U.S. cases by July 2, after 2025's 2,289 cases marked the highest annual total this century and threatened the country's measles-elimination status.
If a 97% effective vaccine can't stop measles, how prepared are we for the next, more dangerous pandemic threat?
As the U.S. risks losing its measles elimination status, can community trust be rebuilt faster than the virus can spread?
What is the full economic cost of this measles outbreak, from intensive care units to the massive public health response required?
Pennsylvania Measles Outbreak Surpasses 100 Cases: Declining Vaccination Rates Threaten U.S. Elimination Status
Overview
As of July 8, 2026, Pennsylvania is facing a major measles outbreak, with over 100 confirmed cases. The Pennsylvania Department of Health has identified Lancaster and nearby counties as the main hotspots, where intensive public health actions like contact tracing and targeted vaccination are underway. The virus has also reached York County, raising concerns about wider regional spread. These efforts come as the CDC warns that measles cases are likely to keep rising across the U.S. this summer, highlighting the urgent need for strong local and national responses to contain the outbreak and protect public health.