CDC Deploys Disease Detective to Pennsylvania Amid Record Measles Outbreak

At Pennsylvania’s request, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will send an Epi-Aid epidemiologist this week to aid in managing the state’s ongoing measles crisis, which has now sickened over 1,200 people. The outbreak, centered in Lancaster County, is the biggest in the United States in over three decades and added 157 cases in the past seven days, spreading to counties such as Chester and Mifflin. The federal government has earmarked almost $4 million in one-time funding to support response efforts through most of 2027.

The deployment follows a contentious debate between HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Governor Josh Shapiro over the accuracy of reported measles deaths, with five deaths. CDC director Erica Schwartz and Kennedy have emphasized vaccination as the primary preventive measure. Health officials note a surge in MMR vaccinations, with more than 56,000 doses administered in September and over 23,000 in the first half of October.