Measles outbreak has sickened 676 in Pa., including four fully vaccinated people

The commonwealth’s top doctor stressed the best protection against measles is to get fully vaccinated. During an update on the measles outbreak, Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Debra L. Bogen said it has now sickened 676 people in the commonwealth.

Additionally, she said state health officials have recorded cases of measles in 37 of the commonwealth’s 67 counties. They included two deaths associated with the virus, announced last month, and four cases among people fully vaccinated for their ages. The Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is recommended for children 12 months and older.

“It’s important to know that people who are vaccinated rarely get measles because the two-dose MMR vaccine offers 97% protection against measles. That means for every 100 people who receive both doses, about three individuals may develop a mild case of measles if they’re exposed,” Bogen said.

The four infected despite being vaccinated are residents of Center, Jefferson, Lancaster, and Lycoming counties, she said.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads through infected people breathing, coughing or sneezing. Individuals with measles develop high fevers, coughs and red, watery eyes. That’s followed by a characteristic rash starting at the head three to five days after symptoms begin. About 20% of cases require hospitalization.

Among the cases reported in Pennsylvania, 124 patients have been hospitalized, according to health officials.

Pennsylvania has been responding to a measles outbreak centered on Lancaster County since April. Late last month, the Health Department announced it had recorded the first measles-related deaths in the nation this year and the first in decades for Pennsylvania.

The announcement became a flashpoint in the national debate over vaccines. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. questioned the accuracy of the report, delivered by Bogen and Gov. Josh Shapiro. Lancaster County Republican elected officials joined Kennedy, claiming the report was inaccurate.

Kennedy has long been a skeptic on vaccine efficacy, linking shots to autism without evidence.

Lancaster County Coroner Stephen Diamantoni earlier this week released additional information about the deaths. While both infants were infected with measles, one died of a ruptured spleen and the other had a genetic condition that made her highly vulnerable to infection and the measles killed her.

Bogen addressed inquiries about why the Health Department has not released more information about the deaths. She said the department’s work is governed by the state Vital Statistics Law and the Disease Prevention and Control Law, which allow personal information to be released only under narrow conditions that don’t apply in the Lancaster County deaths.

“Unlike the Department of Health, county coroners and healthcare providers have different laws and regulations that govern their work and what they can disclose. So there may be differences in the level of detail made available,” Bogen said.

Bogen said the state Health Department and its partners are responding to the outbreak by deploying resources and personnel and the MMR vaccine. The vaccination rate for Pennsylvania kindergarteners is 93%, she added.

“We are not waiting for Pennsylvanians to come to us. We are making the vaccine accessible to anyone who wants it,” Bogen said, noting state health workers have held more than 120 pop-up MMR vaccination clinics at churches, fire halls, community centers and private homes.

“Dozens of additional pop-up clinics are already scheduled for the upcoming weeks and months, tailored directly to community interest and need,” she said.

Anyone interested in hosting a MMR vaccination event can call the Health Department at 877-724-3258. The MMR vaccine is also available at each of the department’s 59 state health centers, which are listed at health.pa.gov/shc. 

The state provides the latest information about the measles outbreak at pa.gov/measles.