{"id":243367,"date":"2026-07-14T20:01:07","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T20:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/243367\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T20:01:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T20:01:07","slug":"shapiro-administration-launches-measles-dashboard-department-of-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/243367\/","title":{"rendered":"Shapiro Administration Launches Measles Dashboard | Department of Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

Harrisburg, PA \u2013 The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) launched a new online dashboard<\/a> today to keep Pennsylvania families and communities informed about measles cases in the Commonwealth, including case details on county, age, and hospitalizations.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis new measles dashboard is part of the Shapiro Administration\u2019s commitment to boost public access to information and provide transparency in our work to protect public health,\u201d said Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen. \u201cWe continue working tirelessly to contain the spread of this highly contagious virus among people who are not vaccinated. So far this year, we provided more than three times as many measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccinations in Lancaster County than we did in all of 2025. Through our public health outreach, we are building trust and making connections with people and seeing increased confidence in the MMR vaccine\u2019s ability to protect Pennsylvanians and their community.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new dashboard<\/a> will be updated Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons with the latest data available. In addition to the number of cases per county, the dashboard includes demographic data, hospitalization rate, and vaccination status of the cases.<\/p>\n

DOH continues hosting pop-up measles vaccine clinics, providing more than 600 doses to residents in Lancaster County since cases were first identified there in late-April. In comparison, DOH staff provided 179 measles vaccinations in Lancaster County for all of 2025.<\/p>\n

DOH, and its many partners are working to increase access to vaccines and improve the information available across the Commonwealth. This year, DOH-operated state health centers administered more than 1,500 doses of the MMR vaccine to Pennsylvanians.<\/p>\n

In late June, to ensure that Pennsylvania infants, who are particularly vulnerable to measles, are protected from getting the virus, DOH issued guidance to health care providers<\/a> enabling them to vaccinate infants as young as six months of age. This early dose of the MMR vaccine is safe and provides moderate protection when measles is spreading.<\/p>\n

Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk for infection.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Boosting Vaccine Information and Access<\/p>\n

Two doses of the MMR vaccine is the best protection against the measles virus, as it is 97% effective at preventing a person from ever contracting it. The vaccine has long-proven effectiveness over several decades. Since the vaccine was introduced in the early 1960s, cases and deaths from measles in the U.S. decreased more than 97% compared to the pre-vaccine era.<\/p>\n

Because measles was essentially eliminated in the U.S. since 2000<\/a>, most health care providers have not treated a patient with the disease. To ensure Pennsylvania providers have the information they need, DOH issued multiple Health Alert Network messages<\/a> <\/a>outlining the signs and symptoms of measles and reminding clinicians to encourage patients to stay up to date on their vaccinations.<\/p>\n

Educating Health Care Providers<\/p>\n

To help address the outbreak, DOH measles experts hosted in-person and live, virtual medical briefings for more than 1,000 doctors, nurses, and other health care providers to help them identify and treat patients with measles.<\/p>\n

Measles: What You Should Know<\/p>\n

Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads to other people when a person who has measles breathes, coughs, or sneezes. The virus remains in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours even after the person with measles leaves the area.<\/p>\n

Symptoms to watch for include fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis), followed by a rash that starts on the head and spreads downward. Symptoms can start 7 to 21 days after exposure. Measles can cause serious health complications, including hospitalization or death.<\/p>\n

When DOH is alerted to a new measles case, local public health staff conduct contact tracing to immediately identify contacts and places exposure may have occurred, and to implement necessary public health action, including public notification, to prevent further spread of the virus. The contact tracing team works around the clock to reach everyone who might have been exposed and to ensure people with measles are isolating while contagious.<\/p>\n

DOH continues to closely monitor the situation and work with local health care partners to ensure timely notification and testing of any potential cases. Throughout the response, DOH evaluates new public health strategies and partnerships that aim to reduce the spread of the virus, while also providing easy access to vaccination.<\/p>\n

People who believe they were exposed to measles and are experiencing symptoms should contact their health care provider or call DOH\u2019s toll-free hotline at 877-PA-HEALTH (877-724-3258).<\/p>\n

More information on measles is available at www.pa.gov\/measles<\/a>.<\/p>\n

School Vaccination Rates<\/p>\n

DOH currently provides school vaccination data<\/a> at the county and state level. In August, school-level vaccination information will be available online, so families have additional information to make personal health and educational decisions. These efforts underscore the Shapiro Administration\u2019s commitment to boosting public access to information and ensuring transparency in our work to protect public health.<\/p>\n

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