As health officials react to the growing clusters of measles in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia, outbreaks are continuing to spread across many parts of America.
These outbreaks occur during a year that has been the worst for measles in over 30 years. In 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that more than 2,700 measles cases were reported in all 50 states. This is already higher than last year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that nearly all U.S. outbreaks this year are linked to cases, which highlights the ongoing spread of this highly contagious disease. It also states that the agency’s national totals of cases are updated every week and can lag state reporting. According to the CDC website, a scheduled data update for August 28 has been delayed.
Pennsylvania reported the largest case count among three states in the last few weeks. Pennsylvania reported the first deaths associated with measles in 2026 on August 25. Wisconsin has its biggest outbreak in years, and Georgia officials are trying to control a cluster linked to an Atlanta metro daycare.
What you need to know
Pennsylvania outbreak: cases increase as deaths related to the disease are reported
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Pennsylvania had 460 measles confirmed cases by August 28, which included 86 additional cases from the week before.
Lancaster County is still the epicenter of the outbreak, with 210 confirmed cases. On August 25, state health officials reported two deaths associated with measles, including one infant. However Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. disputed that the deaths had been caused by the virus. The two people who died were not vaccinated.
Pennsylvania officials have said that a death can be classified as being associated with measles if laboratory evidence or epidemiological data links it to infection. This is true even when measles was not the cause of the death. In 10 counties there has been a confirmed community transmission, and Butler County and Westmoreland have recently announced their first cases.
Wisconsin’s outbreak is the largest since 1990
Wisconsin’s health officials have confirmed that 98 cases of a bacterial infection are linked to an outbreak occurring in southwest Wisconsin. This is more than double the number reported the week before, according to USA TODAY’s network partner Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
This outbreak includes cases from Iowa County (52), Lafayette County (43) and Grant County (3). Wisconsin, including two infections that were reported unrelated earlier in the year, has 100 cases of measles for 2026. This is its highest total ever since 1990.
Two public health workers have been deployed by the CDC to help local investigators trace contacts and identify cases. Officials from the state say that nearly all of the people infected by the outbreak did not receive the MMR vaccine.
Georgia: Cluster of daycares grows
Georgia Health officials confirmed that four more measles patients have been diagnosed in an outbreak associated with a daycare center located near Atlanta.
The newly infected kids were confirmed to be close relatives of a previously reported case. They were also either not completely vaccinated, or unvaccinated. Investigators from the Department of Health are trying to determine if there were other people exposed.
Georgia now has 11 cases of measles this year. This is the second highest annual number in Georgia’s history.
Health officials’ concerns
The CDC reports that 94% of the measles reported cases in 2026 were associated with outbreaks. This shows how rapidly the virus spreads once it reaches areas with low vaccination rates. The virus can spread through airborne droplets and remain in an area for two hours even after the infected individual leaves.
The symptoms usually begin with high fever, a runny or watery nose, and red eyes. A rash appears three to five day later. It usually starts on the face and spreads to other parts of the body.
To prevent spreading the disease, health officials advise anyone with measles to call their healthcare provider first before going in for medical treatment. The CDC recommends the MMR vaccination as the best protection against measles.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT

Central North Carolina teenager critically ill from a brain infection that is caused by amoebas, which are found typically in warm freshwater. As of Friday, no one knew where or how the teenager was exposed to this amoeba.
WRAL contacted the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to find out where and how the teenager may have come into contact with the water, if the source of the suspected contamination is still in use and what steps the state takes to inform families of the risks.
The agency stated in a Friday statement that “NCDHHS works closely with its federal partners, the CDC and our local health departments,” to determine all the possible causes of the Naegleria case.
Naegleria Fowleri, also known as Naegleria fowleri, is a microorganism that can be found in freshwater lakes, rivers, and ponds. When water that contains the amoeba is inhaled through the nose, it can lead to primary amebic encephalitis (PAM). It is fatal and spreads quickly.
According to DHHS, the amoeba can’t be removed from nature. Testing a water body is more complicated than determining if it’s safe.
Joe Brown, researcher at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health said that current testing methods were complex, costly, and required sophisticated laboratory equipment. Currently, routine surveillance of water does not include testing for this organism.
Brown and others are developing a cheaper, faster option.
Brown said in an interview with WRAL on Friday that he would love to see a $20 Naegleria test which could be done in two hours.
Brown explained that such a test would help scientists and agencies involved in public health better understand the presence of amoeba and pinpoint hotspots or concentration spikes. Research is in its very early stages.
Debra Moffat’s son Aven died in 2021 from PAM after swimming in freshwater in private property.
Moffat said to WRAL on Friday that after Aven fell ill, her family requested the state test the water. Moffat said that the state told her family instead to assume Naegleria Fowleri was present in the water.
Moffat acknowledges that a single water test has its limitations. Temperature, rain and time can all affect the water conditions, so a test taken on one day might not be representative of that risk two days later.
She says that better awareness of prevention is also necessary.
Moffat stated, “We felt like we were pretty educated people and had no clue about this amoeba.” Had we known about this amoeba, I wouldn’t have allowed my child to drink fresh water.
Brown said that educating people about the risks of warm water is important because they can alter their behavior.
DHHS advises swimmers to:
Use nose clips to keep freshwater from entering the nostrils or raise their head above the water.
When the water temperature is high and water level low, avoid diving or jumping into warm water.
Do not disturb sediments in warm, shallow freshwater.
Naegleria Fowleri is not found in water that people swallow. Risk occurs when water contaminated with Naegleria fowleri enters the nasal cavity.
Amazing Aven’s Quest for Amoeba Awareness was created by his family after Aven died. Moffat stated that the nonprofit raised over $1.2 million to support education, early diagnosis, and possible treatments.
Moffat said that awareness is one of the only tools available to families who are now facing another North Carolina family with the same infection.
Moffat stated that “families should be aware of the risks associated with freshwater.” You can only do so much if you know what to look for.

Health officials have asked anyone with contact to the goats, who tested positive for Rabies in four baby goats at a North Carolina petting zoo mobile. They were put down.
Anyone who has had any contact with baby goats between the 28th of July and the Thursday of this week at Farm Adventures in Harmony North Carolina or one of their mobile events should notify local officials.
The department stated that the petting zoo hosted off-site activities involving both children and seniors in multiple counties during this time period.
It said that health professionals can determine if people who have had contact with baby goats require further medical examination or preventative medication.
The state department of health said that rabies can be fatal to humans without it.
Farm Adventures posted a Facebook statement in which it said that they are monitoring their other animals to see if there is any sign of this viral disease.
The statement said that “the affected animals, four of our precious baby goats have been put down to stop the spread.”
Petting Zoo said that the baby goats, which were not old enough to be vaccinated, were bit by a skunk found in a separate pen.
The petting zoo said that it did not know the goats were bitten and they didn’t show any typical signs of disease. The petting zoo said that after the death of the first goat, its body was sent to be tested.
The exact date the skunk entered the pen was not known.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, skunks are among the most common animals with rabies.
It said that rabies can be transmitted to humans, pets and wild animals through bites, scratches or infected saliva. Health officials state that early symptoms can begin weeks after the exposure, such as a flu-like illness, weakness, fevers, headaches, and an itching or prickling sensation.
The state’s health department reported that North Carolina had not seen a human case of the disease since 2011.
According to the CDC, approximately 100,000 Americans receive a rabies vaccination each year following a possible exposure. The CDC describes rabies “as a serious but rare public health issue.”
The petting-zoo has said that it is cooperating with officials from the state and local governments.
In a statement, it stated that “We work closely with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Animal Control to ensure the safety of both our clients and animals.”
In response to a Facebook comment, the petting zoo said that it hopes its customers will not be affected.
The comment read: “I’m truly worried about anybody who has enjoyed our animals.” We would never put anyone at risk.
NBC News has contacted the petting zoo to get more information.

The outcomes of adolescents who have gender-affirming surgery on the chest are similar to young adults. The findings of this study suggest that the experiences of actual patients do not support age restrictions for these procedures. This research has been published in International Journal of Transgender Health.
The Gender affirming Care includes medical and psychological treatments that help a person align their body to match their gender identity. This may involve surgical intervention for some nonbinary and transgender individuals. Gender-affirming surgery for the chest is a common procedure. This involves mastectomy or surgical removal of breast tissues to achieve a flatter chest.
Recently, the United States has introduced laws to limit youths’ access to such treatments. These bans are often justified by the fear that teens may regret irreversible changes to their bodies. Most of the data showing high levels of satisfaction and low rates regret following chest surgery have been collected from adult populations.
Maya Younoszai and her colleagues, Caleb Haley and Cole V. Roblee sought to close this gap. The researchers designed an experiment to compare postoperative experiences between adolescents and young adult patients. They wanted to know if those patients who underwent surgery prior to age 18 had a different opinion about the decision than adults who did not undergo any type of surgery until they were older.
Researchers conducted a cross sectional study. This means they collected information from participants in a specific time period. The research team focused on chest surgery patients at pediatric hospitals between January 2018 to April 2023. Patients had to have at least a year since their surgery in order to qualify.
The hospital requires that patients follow established protocols to ensure gender affirming care before surgery. Psychological evaluations were conducted by a psychiatrist and both a psychiatrist and surgeon. All legal guardians of patients younger than 18 years old had to give consent. The surgery would not be offered if any of the guardians were unsupportive.
Researchers sent questionnaires to 183 patients who were eligible. 77 responded. The respondents were divided into two groups: 42 under 18-year-olds who had surgery, and 35 young adults aged between 18 and 26. These surveys used standardized instruments widely used in the healthcare industry to gauge how people felt about their past medical decisions.
The Decision Regret Scale is one tool that scores regrets from 0 to 100. Higher numbers indicate more regret. One tool measures satisfaction on a scale of one to five. Higher scores indicate greater contentment. Researchers calculated scores and compared both groups of age.
Overall, the results were high in satisfaction with low levels of regret. Both the young adult and adolescent groups scored exactly zero for regret. Both groups scored the maximum possible five stars for satisfaction. There were no statistically significant differences between age groups in the average satisfaction scores.
Researchers also conducted a third questionnaire to assess family dynamics. The tool is used to measure a person’s feeling of support and belonging within the family. Researchers wanted to know if the support of family members affected how patients feel after surgery.
Researchers found that there was a positive correlation in the results between the family support scores and the satisfaction with the surgery. The researchers found that patients who were more supportive of their family members were more likely to be satisfied with the decision they made to undergo surgery. The relationship between the support of family and regret about a decision was statistically insignificant.
A smaller group of participants was also examined. These were those who had either higher scores for regret or scores that did not match their satisfaction and regret scores. Five of the 77 respondents fell under this category. Researchers analyzed written responses as well as conducted interviews in order to determine what drove these scores.
Patients reported being unhappy with the aesthetic outcome rather than regretting their decision to undergo a procedure. Others expressed dissatisfaction with the way their bodies had healed. They mentioned issues such as keloids, or raised and thickened scars. Others noted uneven chest contours.
The clinics categorize the regret into different types. They distinguish between regrets over medical outcomes of surgery and regrets that are truly gender-related. The desire to go back to your birth sex is a true gender-related feeling. No one interviewed expressed true regret about their gender.
Even those patients who gave qualitative feedback, even amongst the five with the highest regret score, stated that surgery had improved their quality of life. The procedure enabled them to no longer wear restrictive chest binder. The women also reported feeling more confident about their clothes and social interaction.
The researchers also found that thirteen participants experienced a change in gender identity after the surgery. Someone might, for example, have been a male transgender at the time they had surgery and later become nonbinary. This group’s regret and satisfaction scores were the same as the other participants.
The majority of patients were males, white and identified as such. They also had testosterone use in their past. Researchers collected information on the underlying conditions of their patients, and noted that a high proportion of them had been diagnosed with depression or anxiety before surgery. The patients were able to navigate the surgical process without any complications despite these mental conditions.
These findings are limited by several factors. The median period since the participants’ surgery was 1.8 years. This time period may not reflect long-term regrets that can emerge years after the fact, because feelings regarding medical decisions are subject to change.
The 42 percent rate of participation in the survey is another limitation. The possibility of bias is introduced by the 42 percent participation rate. There is a possibility that people with high levels of regret may have ignored the survey. This would lead to an underestimate of the regret of the entire group.
These surveys may also be influenced by social pressures. Some participants may minimize their unhappiness because gender affirming healthcare is an issue that has been widely publicized. Some participants may be afraid that by expressing their regret, they will provide ammunition to policies which restrict access to healthcare for them or for others.
The data are consistent with older studies that were conducted. Researchers note that teenagers seem to make surgical decisions in a similar way to adults.

You can start taking care of your brain at any age.
According to Dr. Douglas Scharre of the Ohio State College of Medicine, the ideal age is in middle or young adulthood.
If you work on improving your brain’s health you could have a stronger brain reserve, which can delay memory problems, like forgetting keys.
According to a new study from Ohio State University, 60% of Americans would like to prioritise brain health sooner but don’t have any idea how.
Scharre shared his top tips with The Post and revealed what he did to keep his brain healthy.
Brain stimulation is the best way to keep your mind active.
He told The Post that the brain needed to be stimulated. Use it or you lose it.
It is not sufficient to do something just once. You must not only establish the connections, but maintain them with regular use. Otherwise they will disappear.
The “cognitive reserves” is a term used in neuroscience. It refers to the number of brain cells that are healthy and have many connections. This makes them resistant to Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.
According to Scharre’s method, a way of stimulating the brain that is more effective than sudoku, art, or reading — but still beneficial — involves establishing and maintaining connections between neurons.
Socialization is his winner.
He explained that when you talk to someone you read their facial expressions, and analyze how they react to the conversation. You’re also listening to what they say and processing the information.
To tell a tale, you pull from your memories. Your brain is asked to respond quickly as you go back and forward with the other person. You’re going make judgements. He said, “Your brain is at work.”
Crosswords are still useful. He said that games, reading, arts projects, sports, music and learning a language are all great ways to stimulate your brain.
He says that cutting out passive stimuli, such as watching television and scrolling through your phone is just as crucial.
Active stimulation can be harmful. These activities, say experts “deprive the brain” of work that it requires to remain healthy.
Scharre’s brain health check list
Scharre suggests:
He said that to get quality sleep, you should turn off your TV and lights, deal with sleep apnea and keep a routine. To remove brain toxins, deep sleep is essential.
Attend to metabolic health. This includes treating high blood pressure and diabetes as well as elevated cholesterol. He said that managing these conditions will prevent blood vessels from clogging in the brain.
Stress and depression can be managed: Depression may cause problems with communication in the brain as well as loss connections. Stress can affect your ability to regulate emotions, focus and make decisions.
Eating well is essential: The brain cannot produce vitamins, so you need to consume foods that are rich in them. He suggests the Mediterranean Diet, which emphasizes vegetables, fruits and oils, while reducing processed sugars and red meat.
Move around: Physical exercise benefits the brain in all forms, according to Scharre. “A mixture of strength (resistance), aerobic (cardio), flexibility (stretching) and balance is brain-healthy.” The exercises stimulate the different areas of the brain, which leads to a more robust reserve in the brain by creating connections.
Scharre uses tracking to care for his brain. Tracking can be used to identify problems or areas for improvement.
You can monitor your sleep, diet, brain stimulation, socialization and blood pressure. Labs will also show you the results of tests for sugar, cholesterol, and cholesterol. “You can do it all if you wish.”