Pennsylvania measles outbreak reaches 72 cases in south‑central region

Health officials in Pennsylvania have confirmed that 72 of the state’s 84 measles cases this year are linked to an outbreak that began in late April in the Lebanon and Lancaster County area. The cluster is concentrated in south‑central Pennsylvania, spilling over into nearby parts of New Jersey, Delaware and South Jersey. Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen said state and local teams are intensifying vaccination efforts, contact tracing and public outreach to contain the spread among unvaccinated children, adults and vulnerable populations. Hospitalizations have been reported for complications such as pneumonia and organ dysfunction, and physicians are urging anyone without two documented doses of the MMR vaccine to get immunized promptly.