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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially declared the measles outbreak in Pennsylvania over. After six weeks without any new cases, the state is no longer reporting active infections. During the outbreak, Pennsylvania reported between 10 and 49 of the 1,168 confirmed measles cases across the United States, according to the CDC.
The outbreak in Pennsylvania was one of several in the U.S. this year, with significant cases also reported in states like Texas and New Mexico. Tragically, two elementary school-aged children in West Texas and an adult in New Mexico have died from measles this year. All three individuals were unvaccinated.
The CDC defines an outbreak as three or more related cases. While Pennsylvania's outbreak has ended, other states like Colorado, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, and Tennessee continue to report active cases. The CDC emphasizes that measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, sneezes, or coughs. It is preventable through vaccination, which is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old, with a second dose between four and six years old.
The CDC also notes that measles cases in the U.S. are often linked to individuals who contract the disease abroad and return home. With the outbreak now over in Pennsylvania, attention remains on maintaining high vaccination rates to prevent future outbreaks.