Pennsylvania has surpassed 1,000 cases of measles this year, according to calculations by state health officials, making it the largest outbreak in the state in more than three decades. The reference comes as neighboring New York state declared a state of emergency over measles rates in that region.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health said Monday that 1,004 cases of measles had been confirmed. Five Pennsylvania residents have died after contracting the disease, with 198 hospitalizations.
Lancaster County, which has large Amish and Mennonite populations, remains hardest hit, with 391 cases, according to official figures. The number of cases has increased over the past three months, with the highest number of infections recorded in the 24-49 age group.
These figures, however, are not included in the CDC tallies due to an ongoing dispute between Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr over how to classify measles mortality.
Shapiro called Kennedy “incompetent”, and Kennedy publicly questioned whether the state’s deaths were directly caused by measles. The CDC – which Kennedy oversees – currently records two deaths from measles in the United States this year.
Shapiro expanded access to the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine in affected communities.
“I want all Pennsylvanians to know this: Measles doesn’t care about your county, your faith or your social circle,” he said in August. “I urge everyone to take this seriously and discuss any concerns with their trusted health care provider.” »
In New York State, Governor Kathy Hochul also declared a state of emergency on Monday, citing 108 cases in the state as of October 3.
Ohio, which also shares a border with Pennsylvania, has also reported an increase in cases, with more than 200 this year. Like Pennsylvania, Ohio has a large Amish population.
The United States is experiencing its worst year for measles since 1991. As of October 1, the CDC reported 3,887 confirmed cases this year, as well as the highest number of deaths associated with measles in decades.
Besides Pennsylvania, outbreaks have been reported in several states, including Texas and Utah, as well as South Carolina, which had the largest outbreak with 997 reported cases.
Pennsylvania health officials said the current outbreak in the state began in April, west of Philadelphia, and attributed the outbreak to low vaccination rates.
According to the Associated Press, the most recent outbreak exceeding 1,000 cases occurred in New York in the early 1990s. That outbreak infected more than 4,500 people. During resurgences in 1989 and 1991, 55,000 infections and 123 deaths were recorded, according to Reuters.
The spread of measles in the United States was eradicated in 2000 thanks to high vaccination rates, but those rates have in recent years fallen below the 95% coverage needed to prevent outbreaks.
In November, international health officials will meet to determine whether the United States and Mexico have lost their measles-free status.
Gn Health
