The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced that 1,222 measles cases have been confirmed across 42 counties in Pennsylvania so far in 2026.

DOH continues to lead Pennsylvania’s robust response to the ongoing measles outbreak and is making the most up-to-date information on cases, hospitalizations, and deaths available on our measles dashboard.

While daily numbers fluctuate, tracking these trends provides Pennsylvanians and health care providers with visibility into community transmission across the Commonwealth and helps inform DOH’s ongoing response.

Key updates include 86 new positive cases, for a total of 1,222 cases, with 225 hospitalizations and five confirmed measles-associated deaths.

The DOH continues investigating a recently reported death in Franklin County. DOH has added an epidemic curve to its measles dashboard. An epi-curve shows measles cases over time, based on when a person’s rash began or when they were tested or reported to DOH, if rash onset is not available.

Adding an epi-curve to the measles dashboard provides critical, near real-time context on how the outbreak is evolving in Pennsylvania. Instead of seeing cases counts by month, residents can see this information each week and see whether measles transmission is actively accelerating, plateauing, or declining. Furthermore, because there can be a lag in the reporting of some cases to DOH after someone is sick, the dates in the epi-curve give a clearer picture of current community risk.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus that can cause serious short- and long-term health problems including pneumonia and brain swelling, with nearly 20% of people identified by DOH with measles being hospitalized. Death from measles, though rare, occurs in one to three patients per 1,000 cases.

Measles spreads when a person who is infected breathes, coughs or sneezes. The virus remains infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after the person with the infection leaves the area.

Symptoms begin with fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis), followed a few days later by a rash that starts on the head and spreads downward. Without proper protection or supportive care, measles can be deadly. Symptoms can start seven to 21 days after exposure. People are typically contagious four days before and four days after rash onset.

People who believe they were exposed to measles and are experiencing symptoms should contact their health care provider or call DOH’s toll-free hotline at 877-PA-HEALTH (877-724-3258).