Pennsylvania measles outbreak expected to keep spreading, officials warn
Pennsylvania has recorded 943 confirmed measles cases across 39 counties and a fifth related death, with health officials warning it is only a matter of time before the outbreak spreads beyond its current epicenter.
Pennsylvania health officials are preparing for the measles outbreak to grow further after the state reported its fifth related death last week, bringing the confirmed case count to 943 across 39 counties. The surge comes as vaccine skepticism continues to rise nationally, a trend linked in part to the influence of health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.
A key complication is that most Pennsylvania counties lack their own health department — only seven of the state's 67 counties have one. Lancaster county, which has no health department of its own, has recorded the most cases by far, 381, concentrated largely among Amish and similar religious communities that have historically low uptake of the MMR vaccine. Local health workers and community members are now working to establish a dedicated health department there.
Neighboring counties brace for spillover
Jeanne Franklin, director of Chester county's health department, said her county, with 83 cases, is preparing for cases to cross over from neighboring Lancaster, since disease transmission does not respect county lines. She noted that most unvaccinated Amish residents are not opposed to vaccines on principle but are simply less likely to seek routine healthcare or be aware of vaccination options — and that many are open to reconsidering once they see the impact on their neighbors. Still, some residents in the county have repeated misinformation, including false claims that the vaccine causes sterility or contains a microchip.
Dr Richard Lorraine, medical director of Montgomery county's public health office, said it is a "matter of time" before Pennsylvania's third most populous county sees cases too, so the county is focusing heavily on immunization access regardless of residents' insurance status, partnering with pharmacies to run vaccination clinics.
Lora Werner, director of the Delaware county health department, said her agency faces added strain after the bankruptcy and collapse last year of Crozer Health, a major pediatric care provider in the county. She said her newly created local health department — established only after a required referendum, a step not all Pennsylvania counties have taken — has nonetheless become an important asset for reaching residents and promoting vaccination.
