Measles outbreak: Check symptoms, illness, as Pennsylvania, other parts of U.S. grapple with highly contagious disease

Measles outbreak has gripped the parts of U.S as Pennsylvania's health department reported 943 measles cases as of Wednesday, according to its website. Earlier, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed two measles-related deaths in the country this year, up from one earlier, according to the agency's website.

Pennsylvania reported four measles-related deaths among unvaccinated residents earlier this month, sparking a disagreement between Governor Josh Shapiro and US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over how many of the fatalities were directly caused by the virus as the state grapples with a growing outbreak of the highly contagious disease.

The US has recorded 3,659 measles cases this year as of September 24, according to CDC data. The CDC has said it is working with state epidemiologists on a standard definition for measles-related deaths.


The US Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment for details on the additional death.

Measles Symptoms, Diseases

Measles causes fever, respiratory symptoms and skin rashes. In some cases, it can also lead to more severe complications, including pneumonia and brain inflammation, which can lead to serious long-term impacts and death. In 2000, measles was declared eradicated in the United States, thanks to vaccination.

Recent visitors to the popular Universal Studios theme park in California may have been exposed to measles, the local health department said, as cases of the once-eradicated disease soar in the United States.

A person with a contagious case of measles was at the theme park on July 26, the Los Angeles County health department warned in a social media post late Wednesday.

It advised anyone who was at the park between 10:00 am and 9:00 pm to check if they are properly vaccinated against measles and contact a doctor and monitor for symptoms if they are not.

For pregnant women, infants, and people who are immunocompromised, the health department recommends contacting a doctor "regardless of vaccination history."

Thousands of tourists from around the world visit Universal Studios every day. It welcomed 8.8 million visitors in 2024, according to the latest available figures.

The announcement comes as the United States experiences its highest number of measles cases in 35 years, against a backdrop of declining vaccination rates and growing distrust in health authorities.

Since 2026 began, 2,318 confirmed cases of the highly contagious illness have been recorded, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported late last month.

That surpasses the total for 2025, a year that had already shattered records, with 2,289 cases and three deaths, including two young children.

U.S President Donald Trump's health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, is accused of contributing significantly to the crisis by spreading anti-vaccine sentiment and fueling fears of well-studied and proven immunizations.