Health officials confirm case of measles in Bucks County, Pennsylvania

BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. (WPVI) — Health officials have confirmed on Monday a case of measles in Bucks County.

The health department says the person is an adult who recently traveled to central Pennsylvania, where there has been an outbreak of the virus.

RELATED: Pennsylvania Department of Health issues measles alert for pregnant women

The person’s vaccination status is not known, adding they are no longer contagious.

The Bucks County Health Department has notified healthcare providers whose offices the person is known to have visited. The County will assist the providers in notifying patients who may have been exposed.

“Given the ongoing measles outbreak in parts of Pennsylvania, it is reasonable to expect additional cases may be reported here in Bucks County,” health officials said.

This case comes as there are more than 1,500 cases across the state, as well as six deaths reported in the commonwealth.

“The most effective way to protect yourself and your loved ones from measles is vaccination,” Bucks County health officials said. “Fortunately, across Bucks County we overall tend to see very high rates of vaccination against measles, which prevents further spread and keeps most infections mild in the rare instance that they occur.”

Measles cases surpass 5,000 in the US: CDC

Measles cases in the United States have surpassed 5,000 this year, according to newly updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

At least 5,182 cases have been confirmed, with cases reported in 45 states and Washington, D.C. Eighteen cases have been among international visitors to the U.S., according to the CDC.

Eight measles-associated deaths have been confirmed so far in 2026: six in Pennsylvania, one in New York and one in Wisconsin.

Three of those deaths were confirmed by state health officials last week. On Wednesday, the New York State Department of Health reported the first known measles-associated death in the state in more than 30 years, a child who lived in upstate New York.

RELATED: What parents need to know as measles outbreaks spread across the US

Another death was confirmed on Wednesday in Pennsylvania among an unvaccinated resident of Jefferson County, located in the northwestern part of the state.

On Thursday, Wisconsin health officials said an infant died with measles, the first death in the state since 1990.

The CDC has confirmed four of the eight deaths so far, but said the number is “subject to change.”

States with confirmed cases include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

About 96% of cases are among people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown, according to data from the federal health agency.

RELATED: CDC to send ‘disease detective’ to Pennsylvania as measles outbreak soars

Meanwhile, 2% of cases are among those who have received just one dose of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and 2% of cases are among those who received the recommended two doses, according to the CDC.

A plurality of cases has been recorded among those aged 5 to 19. At least 11% of cases have resulted in hospitalization, including more than 1 in 10 children under 5 years old.

The CDC currently recommends that people receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old before school entry. One dose is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective against measles, the CDC says.

However, CDC data shows vaccination rates have been lagging in recent years. During the 2025-26 school year, 92.4% of kindergartners received the MMR vaccine, according to data. This is lower than the 95.2% seen in the 2019-20 school year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you believe you may have been exposed to measles and you plan to seek medical treatment for symptoms, the Health Department strongly encourages you to reach out to the healthcare facility you expect to visit and advise them of this fact before you go so they can be properly prepared.

ABC News contributed to this report.