Chester Co. At Epicenter Of Measles Outbreak: Latest Updates

WEST CHESTER, PA — The measles outbreak in Pennsylvania is now responsible for 1,317 cases, according to the Department of Health's measles dashboard.

A total of 92 of those cases are in Chester County, one of the national epicenters of the virus.

That includes 9 new cases detected in the past three weeks, an apparent slowing in the growth of cases locally. In the late summer and early fall, some individual weeks saw more cases than have been reported thus far in October.

Still, authorities are cautious as numbers remain high statewide and vaccine clinics continue.

In pop-up clinics and at community health centers around the state, nurses have administered more than 10,000 MMR vaccines since the outbreak began in April.

"The Department of Health's measles response team meets remotely every other week with the CDC measles response team," state officials said. "The teams jointly review cases, outbreak response, and public facing materials, among other areas, and convene additional calls as needed."

Health teams continue to work to bring educational materials to communities resistant to the vaccine.

Five people have died from the measles outbreak thus far, and 251 have been hospitalized in Pennsylvania alone.