Cases of measles are worse than they\u2019ve been in decades, and the Lehigh Valley\u2019s leading pediatricians are asking parents to make sure that their children are caught up on their immunizations against the highly infectious disease.<\/p>\n
The first cases of measles in the Lehigh Valley since 2019 were recently identified in two young children in Lehigh County<\/a>. It\u2019s already the worst year for measles in the United States since 1991, with 2,371 cases identified by the end of July, more than all of 2025, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>. In Pennsylvania, 202 cases were reported as of Friday, with 46 of those reported in the previous week, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n Although there is no sign of spread in the Lehigh Valley, cases are going up in some nearby counties such as Lancaster and Chester. Dr. Jennifer Janco, chair of pediatrics at St. Luke\u2019s, said it is critical that parents make sure their children are safe.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can see the trajectory is really going up and this is before school starts. Once you bring all the kids back to school, we\u2019ve seen that with many different infections that things just spread.\u201d Janco said. \u201cThey need to talk to their pediatrician and make sure that their child is fully vaccinated. The vaccine is an incredibly powerful prevention tool. The vaccine works. All of the cases in the state of Pennsylvania have been in unvaccinated children. We know that if given the vaccine, these children are really going to be safe and protected.\u201d<\/p>\n Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a viral infection. The virus spreads when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks, and lingers in the air. Entering a room where someone with measles was two hours prior can lead to contracting the virus. People with measles are infectious up to four days before a rash appears and up to four days afterward.<\/p>\n Measles is most harmful to children, especially those under the age of 5. During the 1950s, measles caused an average of 400 to 500 deaths and 48,000 hospitalizations each year, according to the CDC. Because of how infectious it is, Janco said parents should never intentionally bring their children anywhere they could contract measles.<\/p>\n There is no cure or highly effective treatment. The best protection is the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, which is recommended for nearly all children. Most Americans have already received it.<\/p>\n Children generally receive the first dose when they\u2019re 1, or at 6 months if the child is going to travel outside of the U.S. Because of the outbreak, the state health department\u00a0is recommending infants ages 6-11 months receive an early dose of the vaccine, and children who have received the first dose get the second earlier.<\/p>\n The MMR vaccine is highly effective at preventing a measles infection in individuals, and if 95% of people in a community are immunized against measles, there is almost no chance of an outbreak, and even vulnerable people are protected, something doctors call herd immunity.<\/p>\n Dr. Tibisay Villalobos, chief of the pediatrics section of infectious disease for Jefferson Health, parent of Lehigh Valley Health Network, said a single dose of the MMR vaccine is 93% effective at protecting against measles and it is up to 98% effective after the second shot. However, Janco said if someone is unvaccinated when they contract measles, getting the vaccine then will not help with their symptoms, as the immune system will not build up a defense against the disease fast enough.<\/p>\n Children usually receive the second dose at five years old, but Villobos said that Jefferson and LVHN practices have begun offering the second dose early, ahead of the school year, to 4-year-olds entering pre-kindergarten and who will turn 5 in the coming months. They also have begun offering the first dose at 6 months.<\/p>\n St. Luke\u2019s is offering early and accelerated vaccination in accordance with state guidelines, meaning that only families that live in or are traveling to areas with community spread would qualify.<\/p>\n The onset of measles symptoms usually occurs one to two weeks after exposure and includes a rash that starts at the hairline and gradually moves downward, covering the entire body. It also can include a fever up to or higher than 104 degrees, cough, runny nose, and red and watery eyes. Measles often develops into pneumonia, especially in children, and ear infections, diarrhea and brain swelling can also occur.<\/p>\n Brain swelling, called encephalitis, also can happen later in life, as much as 10 years later.<\/p>\n Villalobos said that if a parent suspects that their child has measles, the first thing they should do is call or do a video visit with their child\u2019s pediatrician or primary care provider. She said they should not take their child to a pediatrician\u2019s office, urgent care or emergency room unannounced because of the risk of exposing others, but if they must, the parent should go in ahead of time alone and let staff know so they can prepare.<\/p>\n If the provider determines it is likely the child has measles or that it needs to be ruled out, then they will be directed to go to the children\u2019s emergency room, which will be informed and prepared for their arrival ahead of time.<\/p>\n How prepared are Lehigh Valley schools for measles?<\/p>\n Measles was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000, meaning it is no longer endemic, but the disease is still present in other parts of the world and is often brought into the country by travelers or Americans returning from countries like Pakistan, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Russia or Vietnam.<\/p>\n However, measles cases have become more frequent in recent years due to a growing number of parents not vaccinating their children against the disease. Additionally, if things continue the way they currently are, the U.S.\u2019s status as a country where measles is eliminated is in jeopardy, Villalobos said.<\/p>\n The Allentown Health Bureau has tracked 16 cases of measles in the city since 1990. There were no cases from 1995 to 2018. The two cases announced by St. Luke\u2019s make it the most cases since 1991, when there were 12.<\/p>\n David Synammon, director of the Allentown Health Bureau, said the steep drop after 1991 coincided with second doses of the vaccine being introduced to children.<\/p>\n In answer to the growing measles outbreak, the state Department of Health has begun making\u00a0school-level vaccination data available online.<\/p>\n