Ongoing9 earlier updates45 days

This story has run 10 times over 45 days, starting Aug 26.

Aug 26Measles kills two Pennsylvanians
Aug 28Pennsylvania reports 2 measles-associated deaths, its first in 35 years, as coroner disputes infant case
Sep 1CDC leaves two Pennsylvania measles deaths out of its national count
Sep 5Coroner rules measles killed a 6-week-old in Lancaster County as US cases hit 3,134, the most since 1991
Sep 14Unvaccinated 40-year-old Pennsylvania woman dies of measles complications, third death tied to outbreak
Sep 15UpdateCDC counts only NCHS-listed measles deaths, showing zero for 2026
Sep 16UpdatePennsylvania confirmed its fourth measles death this year, an 18-year-old, while the CDC's national count remains zero.
Sep 20UpdatePennsylvania reports 4 measles deaths this year; CDC's count is still 0
Oct 4Pennsylvania confirms 977 measles cases this year and reports five deaths; the CDC's national tally counts two
Oct 10UpdateUS measles cases reach 4,080 this year, the most since 1991, with Pennsylvania at 1,105 — this issue

STATELINEUpdate

US measles cases reach 4,080 this year, the most since 1991, with Pennsylvania at 1,105

Political Guyentist · October 10, 20261 min read

Pennsylvania reports five measles deaths; the CDC recognizes two of them.

The CDC counted 4,080 US measles cases this year as of Thursday, Oct. 8, including 192 new cases in the past week. That is the highest yearly total since 1991, when the country recorded 9,643.

Pennsylvania is the center of the outbreak, with 1,105 of the 4,080 national cases. The state reports five measles deaths, but the CDC's count includes only two of them.

Catch upwhat happened before · 9 earlier issues

On Oct. 7, Kathy Hochul (Gov-D New York) declared a measles disaster emergency as the outbreak in neighboring Pennsylvania passed 1,000 cases.

Oct 4Pennsylvania confirms 977 measles cases this year and reports five deaths; the CDC's national tally counts two

8 earlier issues

Why Pennsylvania counts five deaths this year and the CDC twoPennsylvania counts a death when a patient with a positive lab test dies within 30 days of symptoms and no unrelated cause…3 details

Pennsylvania counts a death when a patient with a positive lab test dies within 30 days of symptoms and no unrelated cause explains it.
Since September 2026, the CDC counts only deaths its statistics center verifies as caused by measles on state death records.
Lancaster County's coroner said one infected newborn died of a lacerated spleen; Pennsylvania still counts that death.

What we’re less sure of4 of 9 claims

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Pennsylvania is the center of the outbreak, with 1,105 cases.
The case count is supported by the Pennsylvania DOH dashboard and Stateline. 'Center of the outbreak' is the desk's own unattributed characterization.
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Since September 2026, the CDC counts only deaths its statistics center verifies as caused by measles on state death records.
This describes the CDC's policy, but the story asserts it in its own voice. The only support is KFF's explainer on the September counting-policy change.
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Lancaster County's coroner said one infected newborn died of a lacerated spleen, and Pennsylvania still counts that death.
Attributed to the Lancaster County coroner, but it rests on a single outlet (The 14) in SOURCES.
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On Oct. 7, Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a measles disaster emergency as Pennsylvania's outbreak passed 1,000 cases.
This is a named official act, but no New York source in SOURCES backs the declaration or its date. The 1,000-case threshold is supported by the Oct. 5 USA Today/NewsBreak item.