Pennsylvania has 84 confirmed measles cases so far this year. Seventy-two of those are from one outbreak. It started in Lebanon and Lancaster counties in late April. The rest of the U.S. is also seeing cases, including Texas. South Texas families need to pay attention.

As of June 25, 2026, there are 2,134 confirmed measles cases across the U.S. Texas is one of 41 states with cases this year.

The Pennsylvania outbreak has now spread to six counties. Some patients had to stay in the hospital for days with serious problems.

Dr. Debra Bogen is Pennsylvania's Secretary of Health. She went to Lancaster on Friday to see the situation.

"Our epidemiologists, our community health nurses, and our local partners are working diligently to get measles under control," she said. "We have a robust, proven contact tracing system in place, and we will not slow down until this outbreak is over."

She did not say exactly where the outbreak started. She also did not explain why this part of Pennsylvania was hit so hard.

Dr. Fahmida McGann works at Penn State Health in Lancaster. She treats measles patients. She said some stayed in the hospital for days. They had kidney, liver, and blood problems. Those conditions, she said, left patients at risk.

"Which left them exposed to serious organ failures, secondary infections, as well as bleeding," McGann said.

Measles spreads fast. One sick person can infect up to 18 unvaccinated people. That is what the World Health Organization says. The virus floats in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours. You do not have to be in the same room to catch it.

Signs show up 7 to 14 days after contact. First comes cough, runny nose, red eyes, and fever. White spots form inside the mouth. Then a rash starts at the head and spreads down.

Measles can kill. It can also cause lung infections, brain swelling, and hearing loss. Babies too young for shots are at high risk. So are pregnant women and people with weak immune systems.

Dr. McGann told a family member to stay away. She said do not bring a preemie baby from the NICU to the outbreak area. She said the risk was too high.

The vaccine works well. Two MMR shots stop measles about 97% of the time. Babies get the first shot after 12 months. The second comes between ages 4 and 6.

Texas kids can get the MMR shot for free. The Texas Vaccines for Children program covers all kids in the state. No insurance needed. Adults 19 and older can use the Adult Safety Net program. It offers low-cost shots for people without insurance.

Pennsylvania gave out 1,300 measles shots at state health centers this year. More than 430 of those came from pop-up clinics. Those clinics ran near the outbreak zone over two months.

"We're meeting people where they are, answering their questions honestly and breaking down barriers to care," Bogen said.

RGV families should act now. Check your kids' shot records. If a dose is missing, call your doctor. Adults who are not sure about their shot history can still get the MMR vaccine.

Did your child get near someone with measles? Call the clinic before going in. Staff can keep sick patients away from others.

Measles is spreading across the U.S. The vaccine is the one thing that stops it.