U. S. measles cases surpass 4,000, with over 25 percent coming from Pennsylvania

This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. End of dialog window. U. S. measles cases this year have surpassed 4,000, with over 25 percent of the nation’s reported infections coming from Pennsylvania, according to recently released data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There are currently 4,080 measles cases reported across 47 states and Washington, D. C., the CDC confirmed Friday. Out of these reported infections, 1,105 originated in Pennsylvania measles, surpassing all other states. This latest figure places Pennsylvania more than 400 cases beyond the state with the second-highest reported number of infections, South Carolina at 670. The outbreak is the worst commonwealth has seen in more than 35 years and has subsequently sparked a public feud between its governor, Josh Shapiro, and U. S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over Pennsylvania’s reported deaths tied to measles. The CDC describes measles as a highly contagious virus but adds that two doses of the MMR vaccine provide the best protection against the illness. The Pennsylvania Health Department states both doses together are 97 percent effective at preventing measles for life. Forty-two percent of cases across the U. S. in 2026 were among children aged 5 to 19, according to CDC data, while 17 percent are children under 5 and 40 percent are people over 20. There agency found that there have been 42 separate measles outbreaks so far in 2026, with 96 percent of confirmed cases being outbreak-associated. For all of 2025, there were 2,289 measles cases reported in the U. S. across 45 states and Washington. The Pennsylvania Health Department has reported 5 measles-associated deaths as of the CDC’s most recent update, but the federal agency is only reporting a two-person death toll. The discrepancy is the source of the bitter dispute between Shapiro and Kennedy, in which the two have clashed over what constitutes a measles death. The CDC’s database does not specify where or when these deaths occurred, so it’s not clear if the tally includes Pennsylvania’s reported cases. However, no other state has recorded a measles death this year. The CDC says on its website, “This number is subject to change. CDC will update its reporting as additional information becomes available and relevant reviews are completed.” In New York, the ongoing measles outbreak caused New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) to declare her first statewide disaster emergency of 2026 on Monday. The Empire State has reported 97 cases this year, up from 26 in 2025, according to the CDC. In 2025, three people in the U. S. died from measles — two in Texas and one in New Mexico. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.