With Pennsylvania's measles outbreak now the fastest-growing in the country and school starting in early September, the Camden County Department of Health is telling Cherry Hill families to check their children's vaccination records before the 2026-2027 school year begins.
Pennsylvania has confirmed 111 measles cases as of Saturday, with infections concentrated in Lancaster, Montgomery and Chester counties, according to the county health department's advisory posted Sunday. Many of those cases have been in school-aged children and young adults. Fourteen Pennsylvanians have been hospitalized since the outbreak began in late April, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported July 9.
The outbreak is no longer just Pennsylvania's problem. Delaware confirmed its first measles case in more than a decade on Monday, an unvaccinated man in Kent County, according to the Delaware Division of Public Health.
Cherry Hill sits less than 20 miles from Chester County, where cases have been confirmed. The county's health advisory cited "close proximity and frequent travel between New Jersey and Pennsylvania" as the reason for the alert.
What New Jersey requires
New Jersey law requires two doses of the MMR vaccine for all students in grades K-12 (N.J.A.C. 8:57-4). Schools must enforce the requirement, maintain immunization records and submit annual reports to the state and local health departments.
Students missing required vaccines may start school on a provisional basis but face exclusion if shots or formal exemption paperwork aren't completed by the school's deadline, according to state guidelines.
Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles, according to the Camden County health department.
The national picture
The U.S. has reported 2,278 measles cases as of July 19, putting 2026 on pace for the highest annual total since 1993, according to CDC data cited by Camden County. The 2025 total of 2,289 cases had already been the worst in more than 30 years. About 93% of this year's cases are tied to ongoing outbreaks, many linked to under-vaccinated communities.
National MMR vaccination rates among kindergartners slipped to 92.5% during the 2024-2025 school year, down from 95.2% before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to CDC data reported by ABC News.
Dr. John Goldman, an infectious disease specialist at UPMC, said in June that every person infected in Pennsylvania's outbreak was unvaccinated. "We have not had a single person get measles who's received a measles vaccination," Goldman said.
How to check and where to go
Families unsure whether their child's MMR shots are current can contact their pediatrician or check records through the NJ Immunization Information System at njiis.nj.gov. A blood test, called a titer, can also confirm immunity.
Camden County's HealthFirst Care and Wellness Centers offer free immunization clinics year-round, by appointment, at two locations:
- Bellmawr: 35 E. Browning Road, Bellmawr, NJ 08031. Thursdays and Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (856) 931-2700.
- Camden: 400 Mt. Vernon St., Camden, NJ 08103. Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (856) 756-2266.
The clinics are open to both Camden County residents and non-residents at no cost.
Families with questions about measles exposure can reach the Camden County Communicable Disease Team at (856) 374-6356.
