Key facts
- US health authorities reported 178 additional measles cases this week.
- The CDC reported 4,588 measles cases nationally in 2026 as of Friday.
- Pennsylvania has reported 1,338 cases, with five measles-associated deaths.
- Outbreaks in South Carolina and Utah have each surpassed 500 cases.
- The CDC has reported three measles deaths nationally.
- Health and Human Services proposed changes to vaccine injury reporting systems.
Federal health authorities reported an additional 178 cases of measles in the US this week, as the vaccine-preventable illness continues to sicken people across at least 43 outbreaks. The new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) comes as experts criticize the agency for lack of transparency. The CDC reported 4,588 cases of measles across the country in 2026 as of Friday, more than double the tally for 2025. Pennsylvania alone reported 1,338 cases, while large outbreaks in South Carolina and Utah each have more than 500 cases. Measles sends one in five unvaccinated people who become infected to the hospital, and one to three people in 1,000 die of disease-related complications. The measles vaccine is 97% effective at preventing the disease. In Pennsylvania, state authorities have reported five measles-associated deaths and are investigating a sixth. The CDC has reported three measles deaths nationally but has refused to say where the third death took place. Health and Human Services this week announced changes to vaccine injury reporting systems, a proposal that will allow doctors to bill for reporting suspected vaccine injuries.