The case lands as Pennsylvania\u2019s outbreak accelerates. The state Department of Health\u2019s measles<\/a> dashboard, updated Monday, lists 176 confirmed cases in 2026, including 35 in the past seven days. Thirty-three patients have been hospitalized, about 19 percent of cases. No one has died, and none of the 176 were fully vaccinated.<\/p>\n Where the Valley stands<\/p>\n The dashboard lists two Lehigh County cases so far this year and none in Northampton County. Those counts are by county of residence, not where a patient was exposed or treated, and the dashboard does not identify treating hospitals.<\/p>\n St. Luke\u2019s did not say where its patient lives or when the case was confirmed. Allentown and Bethlehem operate their own health bureaus, whose counts can differ from the state\u2019s.<\/p>\n Stay informed on Lehigh Valley health & wellness<\/p>\n Get the latest health & wellness news and updates from across the Valley.<\/p>\n By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy<\/a> and consent to receive updates.<\/p>\n The outbreak\u2019s center sits 60 to 70 miles southwest of Allentown. Lancaster County has 104 cases, with 20 each in Chester and Lebanon \u2014 together 82 percent of the state total. The nearest activity to the Valley is in neighboring Berks County, with four.<\/p>\n Cases jumped from 25 in May to 48 in June and 86 in July, nearly half the year\u2019s total. Two have been reported in August through Monday. Adults ages 25 to 49 are the largest group with 64 cases; 38 percent of patients are under 18, including 19 children under 5.<\/p>\n What St. Luke\u2019s is telling families<\/p>\n Janco said measles ranks among the most contagious diseases known and can spread without contact with a sick person.<\/p>\n \u201cYou only need to be around the airspace, not the person, and it can linger in the air,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The virus can hang in the air up to two hours after an infected person leaves, according to the state, and patients are contagious from four days before a rash appears through four days after.<\/p>\n Stay informed on Lehigh Valley health & wellness<\/p>\n Get the latest health & wellness news and updates from across the Valley.<\/p>\n By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy<\/a> and consent to receive updates.<\/p>\n Symptoms surface seven to 21 days after exposure and include fever that can top 104 degrees, cough, runny nose, red eyes and rash. There is no antiviral treatment.<\/p>\n Janco said nine out of 10 unprotected people who are exposed will catch it, consistent with federal estimates, and that measles can cause brain swelling and lung damage severe enough to require hospitalization.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you survive measles now, it doesn\u2019t mean that you\u2019re out of the woods,\u201d she said. \u201cIt can absolutely cause a lifetime of complications.\u201d<\/p>\n Two MMR doses offer the best protection, the health department says. Janco urged parents of unvaccinated children to call a pediatrician \u2014 and said some adults should check their records too.<\/p>\n People vaccinated between 1963 and 1967 may have received a killed-virus version the CDC says was ineffective and recommends replacing. Anyone vaccinated before 1991 may have gotten only one dose, she said; the CDC dates the two-dose schedule to 1989. Those born before 1957 are presumed immune.<\/p>\n Department staff has given 2,076 MMR doses this year, peaking at 679 in June. Nationally, the CDC counted 2,371 cases<\/a> as of July 30, more than in all of 2025.<\/p>\n Providers should report suspected cases to the state at 877-724-3258.<\/p>\n Stay informed on Lehigh Valley health & wellness<\/p>\n Get the latest health & wellness news and updates from across the Valley.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-03-at-8.28.00-PM-1600x849.png\")
<\/a>The Pennsylvania Department of Health\u2019s online dashboard shows 176 total measles cases across the state as of Aug. 3, 2026. The updated numbers come as Bethlehem-based St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network reports its first Lehigh Valley case.<\/p>\n