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CDC Sends 'Disease Detective' to Pennsylvania Amid Measles Outbreak
· Confirmed
In Short: In response to the outbreak, the CDC is sending a 'disease detective' from its Epidemic Intelligence Service to work with state health officials in Pennsylvania.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, fewer than 1% of the state's cases are among those who are fully vaccinated with the MMR vaccine.
The CDC stated that about 96% of cases are among people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown, while 2% of cases are among those who have received just one dose of the MMR vaccine and another 2% among those who received the recommended two doses.
In response to the outbreak, the CDC is sending a 'disease detective' from its Epidemic Intelligence Service to work with state health officials in Pennsylvania.
The CDC spokesperson told ABC News, 'Pennsylvania has formally requested CDC assistance through the Epi-Aid program. In response, CDC will support the state's identified needs and strengthen its response efforts on the ground.'
The CDC is also releasing nearly $4 million to aid measles response efforts in Pennsylvania.
Lancaster County remains the epicenter of the outbreak, with 443 cases reported this year, followed by Mifflin County with 183 cases and Chester County with 90 cases.
The CDC's Erica Schwartz recommends the MMR vaccine as the most effective way to prevent measles and protect against infection.
In addition to deploying a 'disease detective,' Pennsylvania has expanded vaccination efforts in affected communities.
The CDC has previously sent teams to other states with large clusters of measles illnesses, including Kansas, New Mexico, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
What this adds
The CDC's measles outbreak website currently acknowledges two of the six reported deaths and lists the other measles-related deaths in Pennsylvania as 'under review.'
Background
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is sending one of its scientists, known as a 'disease detective,' to Pennsylvania to help curb the state’s growing measles outbreak, a CDC spokesperson said Thursday.
A 39-year-old woman in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, has become the sixth person to die from measles this year, amid the state's largest outbreak in three decades.
What's confirmed
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is sending one of its scientists to Pennsylvania to help curb the state’s growing measles outbreak, a CDC spokesperson said Thursday.
- Erica Schwartz recommends the MMR vaccine “as the most effective way to prevent measles and protect against infection.” Pennsylvania is experiencing the nation’s worst measles outbreak in 30 years, with at least 1,222 confirmed cases and 225 hospitalizations, although doctors say the actual number of illnesses is likely much higher.
- In addition to the deployment, the CDC is releasing nearly $4 million to aid the measles response efforts in Pennsylvania.
- Kennedy then suggested that the deaths may have been “fabricated,” and that Shapiro was seeking to profit from them politically.
- A CDC spokesperson said Thursday that the scientist, a so-called disease detective from the agency’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, is expected to arrive later this week.
- “I made very clear that his actions and the rhetoric that’s coming from this administration are having a negative impact on communities across America, particularly right here in Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said at the time.
- At a press briefing, Shapiro announced that two unvaccinated people had died of measles complications and accused Kennedy of spreading vaccine misinformation.
What's still developing
- More than 4,400 measles cases have been reported in the U.S., according to an update on Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- ABC News' Arthur Jones II and Dr. Jennifer Miao contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events More than 4,400 measles cases have been reported in the U.S., according to an update on Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded 4,410 measles cases so far in 2026, an increase of 330 in a week, and has dispatched an investigator to the state of Pennsylvania to help contain the country’s largest outbreak.
- West central Bucks County in southeastern Pennsylvania... * Until 545 PM EDT. * At 453 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Bernville, or 11 miles northwest of Reading, moving east at 40 mph.
- Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 28 and 30, and between mile markers 61 and 62.
- The CDC’s measles outbreak website currently acknowledges two of those deaths and lists the other measles-related deaths in Pennsylvania as “under review.” Among them was a Franklin County woman whose death was reported as the sixth tied to measles.
- PHILADELPHIA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will send a “disease detective” to Pennsylvania this week to help address an ongoing measles outbreak that has now sickened more than 1,200 people across the state, an HHS official said.
- Diana Dur, public health nurse, prepared a measles vaccine at a mobile clinic in Upper Darby in July.
- "[Pennsylvania officials] told us that they didn't want help from the Trump administration," Kennedy said as he was leaving.
Sources
- ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videoslink
- Al Jazeeralink
- NBC Newslink
- WFMZ.comlink
- Newslink
- Aollink
- Indianagazettelink
- WarpBeat — background on CDC Sending Disease Detective to Pennsylvania to Combat Measles Outbreak link
- WarpBeat — background on Sixth Measles-Related Death Reported in Pennsylvania link
- ABC News — video link