Mount Nittany Health Reports Potential Measles Exposure at 2 Facilities

Mount Nittany Health on Friday confirmed two positive measles tests that may have exposed others to the virus recently at two of its facilities.

The potential exposures occurred:

• Between 10 a.m. and noon on July 31 at Mount Nittany Health Toftrees;
• Between noon on July 31 and 1 a.m. on Aug. 1 at the Mount Nittany Medical Center Emergency Department.

“Mount Nittany Health is actively identifying and contacting individuals who may be at high risk and were present at these locations during the identified timeframes,” the health system wrote in a statement.

All Mount Nittany Health outpatient locations have implemented measles screening questions. Patients who believe they have been exposed to measles or are experiencing symptoms should contact their primary care provider or pediatrician before arriving for their appointments.

Patients who are scheduling new appointments and who suspect exposure or symptoms should also call ahead for guidance.

“These steps are essential to help prevent further spread of the virus,” Mount Nittany wrote.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads through respiratory droplets. Symptoms often take seven to 21 days after exposure to appear and can include a high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, spots inside the mouth and a rash that typically begins on the face and spreads downward, according to Mount Nittany Health.

People experiencing symptoms consistent with measles or who believe they have been exposed should contact their primary care provider or express care for guidance before seeking in-person care, and should wear a mask when arriving for appointments if they suspect they have the virus.

Centre County has had two confirmed measles cases this year as of Friday, up from one a day earlier, as cases continue to rise statewide and nationally in what public health experts say is the worst year for the virus in more than three decades.

Pennsylvania has recorded 226 confirmed cases of measles across 17 counties in 2026, as of Friday, including 57 new cases in the last week, according to DOH. The commonwealth had a total of 16 confirmed measles cases in 2025, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

No measles-related deaths have been reported in Pennsylvania this year and 35 residents have been hospitalized with the disease. According to the DOH measles dashboard, 35% of the cases have been in people under the age of 18.

None of the cases have occurred in people who are fully vaccinated, according to DOH.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all children have two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine as the best way to protect against the diseases. The first dose is typically given between 12 and 15 months old, with the second dose administered between the ages of 4 and 6. Two doses of the vaccines usually provide lifetime protection against measles, with a 97% effectiveness rate.

Public health officials encourage adults without at least one documented dose to get vaccinated.

“Vaccination remains the safest and most effective way to prevent measles and protect individuals and the broader community from infection,” Mount Nittany Health wrote on Friday.

As of Friday, 2,465 measles cases have been confirmed nationwide this year, surpassing the 2,289 for all of 2025 and making it the worst year for measles in the United States since 1991.

For local updates, visit mountnittany.org/news-stories/health-and-wellness/community-health-update.