Pennsylvania health officials have warned patients of possible measles exposure at multiple locations within Penn Highlands DuBois, including an OB-GYN office and a lab collection site. The warning comes as the state's measles case count has climbed past 1,500, with health officials tracking new cases on a near-weekly basis.
According to WJAC, the Pennsylvania Department of Health warned patients of possible measles exposure at the two Penn Highlands DuBois sites. The station's reporting lists two different notification dates for the affected locations: exposure letters reportedly went out to patients of Penn Highlands Life's Journey OB/GYN on October 26, and to patients of the Medical Arts Building lab collection site on October 27.
Life's Journey OB/GYN is located at 123 Hospital Avenue in the Center of Excellence building in DuBois, according to Penn Highlands Healthcare. The Laboratory Collection Site sits nearby within the Medical Arts Building along Hospital Avenue, directly across from Penn Highlands DuBois West, per the health system's facility listing.
Hospital Says It's Following State Guidance
Penn Highlands Healthcare officials said they are following all Pennsylvania Department of Health policies to keep patients and staff safe, the station's report notes. The hospital system has not detailed how many patients may have been affected or whether any exposures have led to confirmed illness.
Measles symptoms typically develop within seven to 14 days after exposure, per the same WJAC account. That timeline differs from guidance published by Penn State Health News, which says symptoms can start anywhere from 7 to 21 days after exposure. The dossier does not resolve which timeline applies statewide, and both have been issued by credible health sources.
Statewide Case Count Keeps Climbing
Pennsylvania's measles total reached 1,505 as of Monday, an increase of 18 cases from the previous Friday update, according to a report from WTVB, citing Reuters. The rising count underscores why health officials have been quick to flag potential exposure sites across the state in recent weeks.
Penn State Health separately notified the public of potential measles exposures after an individual who tested positive may have exposed others at Lancaster Medical Center and Golisano Children's Hospital in Hershey. That exposure window at the Lancaster Medical Center Emergency Department ran from 10:50 p.m. on October 18 to 4:04 a.m. on October 19, with additional potential exposures at Golisano Children's Hospital's Pediatric Perianesthesia Unit from 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on October 19, and in the hospital's main and sixth-floor lobbies between 3:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on October 21. Penn State Health advised anyone potentially exposed to check their vaccination status and monitor for symptoms, urging those at higher risk to contact a physician immediately.
Nearby Counties Also on Alert
The concern isn't limited to DuBois. A measles case reported in Jefferson County forced local hospitals into emergency infectious disease protocols, according to WTAJ. That same report said emergency departments in Clearfield and DuBois were immediately contacted and placed on high alert for measles exposure and cases, reflecting how quickly regional hospital networks have mobilized in response to the spreading outbreak.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health says any health care provider who suspects a measles case or has questions about testing should immediately report it by calling the department at 877-724-3258 or contacting their local health department.
