News

The Pennsylvania Key has released new resources on measles as part of its health-related trends in early childhood for May.

Measles Outbreak

The resources were released amid a global measles resurgence that has increased the risk of outbreaks in the United States. Outbreak cases of measles – which is the most highly contagious preventable disease – have been reported in 12 states, including Pennsylvania. 

As of mid-April, a total of 800 U.S. cases have been reported, which is a 180 percent increase over the number of 2024 cases. About 96 percent of people who caught the illness were unvaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown. Two school-aged children and one adult, all unvaccinated, have died from the disease.

The Pennsylvania Key’s resources include:

• A short video on the 5 Things You Need to Know About Measles
• Three lessons learned from the current outbreak from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Vaccine Education Center
• Pennsylvania Department of Health’s measles fact sheet
• Information for caregivers or staff to prevent measles spread in school or child care settings
• Information on the measles vaccine

Measles can be dangerous, especially for infants, young children, pregnant women, and unvaccinated people. Children and caregivers or staff could miss child care or school for long periods of time if they catch the measles. The disease can lead to severe complications that could result in hospitalization or death.

For more information, visit The Pennsylvania Key’s website.