LOS ANGELES, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) — More than 1,000 confirmed measles cases have been reported in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania in 2026, with five deaths and 198 hospitalizations, making it the largest state measles outbreak in more than three decades, according to state health officials.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health said Monday that 1,004 measles cases had been confirmed across 39 counties. A total of 27 new cases had been reported since Oct. 2.
Only four of the confirmed cases were among people who had received the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, accounting for less than 1 percent of the total. The outbreak began in late April.
Health care providers have also seen a surge in MMR vaccinations. In a typical month, Pennsylvania health care providers administer approximately 25,000 doses of the MMR vaccine. More than 49,000 doses were administered in August and more than 53,000 in September, according to the state health department.
Full vaccination offers the best protection against measles. Two doses of the MMR vaccine provide 97 percent lifetime protection, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
In response to the growing outbreak, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday declared a state disaster emergency. As of Oct. 3, New York had reported 108 measles cases this year, including 92 cases reported since July 15 in 18 rural counties with under-immunized communities, according to the state government.
The New York state government said measles cases reported this year had increased markedly beyond the typical number in the state, particularly since July 15, constituting a significant public health concern.
As of Oct. 1, the United States had reported 3,887 confirmed measles cases in 2026, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making 2026 the worst year for measles in the country since 1991. ■