US measles epidemic.

[dann]

Peter Hotez on X, Sep 19, 2026
Remember the tragic measles epidemic and recent deaths in Pennsylvania are still modest relative to what could be in store for us in February March April 2027. In the pre-vaccine era measles reliably peaked in late winter and early spring. And sure enough as antivaccine activism accelerated that’s what we saw in 2025 and 2026, I made this graph below. So the prediction is that 2027 could be far worse

 

[dann]

CDC adds 177 cases to US measles total but has yet to confirm deaths in Pennsylvania (CIDRAP, Sep 18, 2026)
With 177 new cases added today, the US measles count has climbed to 3,471, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in its weekly update has yet to acknowledge any of the four measles-related deaths recently reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH), two in babies and two involving adults.

Gov. Josh Shapiro SHREDS 'DERANGED' RFK Jr. over Pennsylvania measles outbreak (MS NOW on YouTube, Sep 18, 2026 – 12:38 min.)
Amid a deadly measles outbreak in Pennsylvania, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke yesterday to members of an anti-vaccine group he founded, telling them they have a “friend in the White House.” Kennedy was headlining a conference for Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine advocacy organization he led for more than a decade. During his speech, Kennedy told attendees to be patient, saying he would have made big changes “on day one” but could not do so because of “procedures.” Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro joins Morning Joe to discuss the measles outbreak in his state and more.

Only the first half of the MS NOW video is about RFK Jr. and measles.

Doctor reacts to RFK Jr.'s anti-vax speech amid measles outbreak (CNN on YouTube, Sep 18, 2026 – 8:39 min.)
Amid the worst measles outbreak in the US in decades, a surge that’s been driven largely by unvaccinated people, US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received a standing ovation Thursday at the conference of the anti-vaccine advocacy group Children’s Health Defense, where he gave the keynote.
It would’ve been an unthinkable appearance for past health secretaries, and it was a striking moment for Kennedy, who was a founder of the organization but stepped away to run for the presidency.
Dr. Ashish Jha, former White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, discusses misinformation and its deadly consequences.
0:00 The U.S. faces its largest measles outbreak in decades
2:55 A doctor analyzes RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine remarks
5:45 A closer look at Children’s Health Defense, the group RFK Jr. addressed

‘It’s a huge concern’: Families of kids with complex medical needs worry about frequent measles outbreaks (CIDRAP, Sep 18, 2026)
In August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reportedthat more kindergarten students received at least one vaccine exemption for the 2025-26 school year, increasing from 3.6% to 4.2%.
Of all kindergarteners, only 92.4% received their measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, lower than the 95% coverage needed for herd immunity.

 

[dann]

Shawn Connery on bsky, Sep 20, 2026
Pa. Measles Outbreak Met With Both Defiance and a Rush to Vaccinate
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/u...

Pennsylvania Measles Outbreak Leads to an Increase in Vaccinations
As the outbreak grows to more than 700 confirmed cases, the largest in the country, some people remain opposed to vaccines and others are rushing to get the shots.

www.nytimes.com

 

[dann]

Measles outbreaks surge to top 3,500 cases this year: These tracker maps show the areas hardest hit (FC, Sep 23, 2026)
Cases in 2026 have already far surpassed the total count for all of last year. More worryingly, 10% of them occurred in the previous two weeks.

Measles outbreak in Chicago shelter cost nearly $9 million, CDC estimates (CIDRAP, Sep 23, 2026)
In JAMA Network Open yesterday, scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Illinois public health agencies estimated the cost of a 2024 measles outbreak in two Chicago shelters for unhoused people newly arrived in the country at $8.7 million.

 

[dann]

Pennsylvania measles cases near 800 as outbreak grows (Reuters, Sep 21, 2026)
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 792 measles cases on Monday, 25 more than on Friday, as the state's outbreak grew further, remaining at the center of the nation's worst measles resurgence in decades.

155 hospitalized!

 

[a_unique_person]

Nm

 

[novaphile]

Australia too.

One student infected overseas, three more cases identified at their school:

Vaccine clinic opens after four teens infected in measles outbreak

A temporary vaccination service has been set up for a school community in Adelaide's southern suburbs after four students tested positive for measles.

www.abc.net.au

 

[dann]

US measles cases continue to climb, topping 3,600 (CIDRAP, Aug 25, 2026)
The US measles count has climbed to 3,659 confirmed cases, with 171 new cases added this week, according to today’s update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC also now lists one measles death for the year, though Pennsylvania has reported four measles-associated deaths. The agency says it’s working with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists to develop a standardized definition of deaths due to measles. The one death has an asterisk next to it.

129 more cases in Pennsylvania.

America had wiped out measles. Now babies are infected at birth. (NBC News, Sep 24, 2026)
Congenital measles has rarely been seen in the U.S. That's changing as vaccination declines and more pregnant women become infected.

 

[dann]

Lewis County investigates ‘confirmed’ case of measles (wwnytv.com, Sep 27, 2026)
As of Saturday night, there were at least 62 cases of measles in New York state outside of New York City.
The Lewis County case is the first in the north country.

 

[dann]

The New York Times on bsky, Sep 27, 2026
More than 50 new cases of measles have been reported in Pennsylvania since Wednesday, state health officials said, as efforts continue to combat an outbreak that has spread across the state.

Pennsylvania Measles Outbreak Grows to Nearly 900 Cases
State health officials said 55 new cases had been reported since Wednesday. In all, 890 measles cases have been reported across 39 counties so far this year.

nyti.ms

 

[TragicMonkey]

I have a doctor appointment tomorrow and the online portal has a big banner saying if you have symptoms of measles (I don't) don't come to the clinic in person, have a telehealth appointment instead.

 

[dann]

... (I don't) ...

... yet!

 

[dann]

Doctors in Pennsylvania estimate at least six babies have been born with measles (NBC News, Sep 25, 2026)
At least six babies in Pennsylvania have been born infected with measles, with two so sick they had to be admitted to intensive care. The growing outbreak is raising alarm among doctors who are treating the potentially deadly condition. Congenital measles is a disease that’s rarely, if ever, seen in the U.S. NBC News' Erika Edwards reports.

Infections at birth substantially increase the risk of autism and intellectual disability, study finds (CIDRAP, Sep 28, 2026)
Kids born with certain congenital infections are approximately three times more likely to be diagnosed as having autism, according to a study out of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. These children were also more likely to have an intellectual disability compared to those born without an infection, with the risk of severe to profound intellectual disability being up to 30 times higher than the general population.
The study, published last week in JAMA Pediatrics, included 3.7 million people born in Sweden from 1987 through 2021.

The study doesn't mention measles ...

Of this group, 975 had congenital infections caused by pathogens that can cross the placenta, leading to maternal-fetal transmission, though spread can also happen during or after birth. Collectively, these are called TORCH infections, standing for toxoplasmosis, other infections, rubella, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes simplex virus.

... but this study of just one case does:
Congenital measles: A case highlighting challenges in clinical interventions in a developing country (International Journal of Infectious Diseases/Science Direct, Feb 2026)

 

[Flo]

Found this "Tip from the ER"

 

[dann]

Australia too.
One student infected overseas, three more cases identified at their school:

Vaccine clinic opens after four teens infected in measles outbreak

A temporary vaccination service has been set up for a school community in Adelaide's southern suburbs after four students tested positive for measles.

www.abc.net.au

The article is admirably detailed about possible times and locations where people may have been exposed to the measles outbreak.
And in another article, more exposure sites are mentioned:

Queen Elizabeth Hospital among dozens of exposure sites in latest measles case (ABC.net.au, Sep 28, 2026)
In short:
South Australia has recorded an additional patient with measles, linked to a cluster of cases at Brighton Secondary School.
New exposure sites include the emergency department at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, two pathology centres and a pharmacy.
SA Health urges anyone who may have been in contact with the infected person to monitor for symptoms.

There is also this:

Professor Spurrier said measles had been increasing in countries that had previously eradicated the disease, including the US, UK and Canada.

I stumbled on this one from Sweden:

Personal på förskola smittad av mässling – ”Inget lagkrav på vaccin” (Arbetet, Sep 1, 2026)
En anställd på en förskola i Umeå har fått mässling, rapporterar P4 Västerbotten. Var smittan kommer ifrån är okänt och nu pågår omfattande smittspårning av barn och vuxna.

• En person smittad med mässling var på förskolan, och nu kontaktas alla barn och vuxna som var där.
• Förskolan i Umeå har inget vaccinkrav för personal men följer smittskyddsenhetens riktlinjer.
• Efter ett mässlingsutbrott kopplat till festivalen Urkult har 36 fall av smitta rapporterats i Sverige.

Preschool staff member infected with measles – "No legal requirement for vaccination" (Arbetet, Sep 1, 2026)
An employee at a preschool in Umeå has contracted measles, reports P4 Västerbotten. The source of the infection is unknown, and extensive contact tracing involving both children and adults is currently underway.
* An individual infected with measles was present at the preschool, and all children and adults who were there are now being contacted.
* The preschool in Umeå has no vaccination requirement for staff but follows the guidelines of the infectious disease control unit.
* Following a measles outbreak linked to the Urkult festival, 36 cases of infection have been reported in Sweden.

 

[Chris_Halkides]

Aljazeera reported, "Pennsylvania has confirmed a fifth measles-associated death this year, as the number of infections approaches 1,000 amid a rapidly growing outbreak across the state. The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced on Wednesday that an unvaccinated resident of Lancaster County who tested positive for measles had died."

 

[dann]

Measles cases top 900 in Pennsylvania as CDC confirms 2nd death (CIDRAP, Sep 29, 2026)
In related news, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website now lists two measles-related deaths for 2026. It is unclear which deaths the CDC’s listing is referring to.

Lancaster County reports Pennsylvania’s 5th measles-related death (CIDRAP, Sep 30, 2026)
In the past two days, the state has seen 40 new measles cases, raising the total to 943. Of those, 176 patients have been hospitalized, or about 19%. This is twice the national average of 9%, according to CDC data. Only four Pennsylvania cases have been recorded in vaccinated people.
(...)
Surge in MMR vaccinations

Measles disaster in Florida might not be far off, analysis finds (CIDRAP, Sep 30, 2026)
Florida's vulnerability to measles is approaching a critical tipping point, according to an analysis published this week in PNAS.
The coverage rate of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination among Florida kindergarteners has fallen over the past decade. It is now low enough that a measles exposure in some schools would likely lead to an outbreak, which could have devastating consequences since one to three of every 1,000 children who become infected with measles will likely die from respiratory and neurologic complications.

Most Americans confused about RFK Jr’s stance on measles vaccine as views dim of his ability to rein in outbreaks (CIDRAP, Sep 29, 2026)
Americans’ uncertainty of where Kennedy stands on the MMR vaccine might in large part be traced back to Kennedy himself. He has rarely provided unflinching support for the highly effective vaccine.
(...)
Osterholm pointed out that, in 2025, Canada reported 5,462 measles cases. Proportionally, that would be like the United States having 45,000 cases in a single year.
“That's America's future…you don’t even have to make it up as a worst-case scenario to scare people,” he said. “This is reality now.”

 

[dann]

Exemption for moral, ethical beliefs zapped from DeSantis administration’s proposed vax rule (Sep 30, 2026)
Department of Health schedules a public hearing on proposed changes for Oct. 8 in Lake Mary.
The DeSantis administration is backing off its push to make it easier for parents to opt out of vaccinating their children by eliminating from a proposed rule change “sincerely held moral or ethical belief(s)” from the reasons a parent could object to required vaccinations for children to enter school.