Measles reaches 676 in PA; CDC warns on rabies treatment errors: Health risk update, Sep. 5–11, 2026
A weekly scan of measles activity in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, a CDC rabies advisory, FDA sprout, supplement, and APAP recalls, and central African Ebola updates.
The week's signal
From September 5 through September 11, 2026, domestic public health agencies focused on expanding measles transmission and rising rabies exposures, while international authorities tracked the geographic expansion of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease. In Pennsylvania, state health officials confirmed 676 measles cases across 37 counties on September 11, with 52 new cases identified in forty-eight hours. 1 Wisconsin reported 155 confirmed and 6 probable cases centered in Grant, Iowa, and Lafayette Counties on September 11, supported by continued viral detections in municipal wastewater. 2
At the federal level, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a nationwide Health Alert Network advisory on September 10 regarding increased human rabies exposures and widespread post-exposure prophylaxis administration errors. 3 The Food and Drug Administration posted a recall of Evergreen Fresh Sprouts broccoli sprouts linked to a 22-case multistate Salmonella outbreak, a pet supplement recall for Salmonella contamination, and a Class I recall of BMC Luna G3 APAP sleep therapy devices due to shutdown errors under high respiratory flow. 456 Internationally, the World Health Organization reported that confirmed Bundibugyo Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo reached 6,757 cases and 3,267 deaths as transmission reached the Kayna health zone in North Kivu. 7
The primary household action is verifying routine MMR vaccination and inspecting refrigerators and pantries for recalled sprout packages and canine supplements. The primary travel action is observing commercial boarding prohibitions for DRC itineraries and scheduling arrivals through designated screening airports for Uganda and South Sudan routes. The primary clinical action is auditing rabies wound-infiltration techniques and ensuring that rabies vaccines are never injected into gluteal tissue.
Actions for households, travelers, and clinical teams
| Alert | Who should act | What to do now |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania measles outbreak | Residents and travelers across Pennsylvania, particularly unvaccinated individuals | Verify MMR immunization records. Anyone with fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, or rash should isolate at home and telephone a healthcare provider or 877-PA-HEALTH before visiting a clinic. Pennsylvania confirmed 676 cases, 124 hospitalizations, and 2 deaths as of September 11. 1 |
| Southwest Wisconsin measles outbreak | Residents and visitors in Grant, Iowa, and Lafayette Counties | Check immunization status through the Wisconsin Immunization Registry or a physician. Nonimmune individuals exposed to known cases should remain home and monitor symptoms for 10–21 days. Wisconsin reported 155 confirmed and 6 probable cases in the three-county area on September 11. 2 |
| CDC rabies exposure & PEP alert | Anyone with animal bites or scratches; emergency and primary care clinicians | Immediately wash animal wounds with soap and running water for 15 minutes. Clinicians must infiltrate human rabies immune globulin into all wound margins and administer intramuscular vaccine in the deltoid or thigh on days 0, 3, 7, and 14 for unvaccinated patients. Gluteal administration is invalid and requires repeating. 3 |
| Evergreen Fresh Sprouts broccoli sprouts recall | Consumers, restaurants, and grocery retailers in Idaho, Montana, and Washington | Discard 4 oz zip lock bags with UPC 8 38796 00105 1 and Use By dates from September 7 through September 16, 2026. Wash cutting boards and storage bins with hot soapy water. The recall addresses an outbreak of Salmonella Bovismorbifican with 22 cases reported as of September 9. 4 |
| Fi canine supplement recall | Dog owners and pet supply handlers nationwide | Discard Fi Calming (Lot 26118, UPC 8 50064 80011 1) and 8-in-1 Formula (Lot 26159, UPC 8 50055 11168 4). Seal packages in household trash and wash hands after handling pet food or animal waste. The products carry Salmonella contamination risks for animals and humans. 5 |
| BMC Luna G3 APAP device Class I recall | Sleep apnea patients using Luna G3 APAP (Model LG3600) | Check device serial numbers via the manufacturer portal. Discontinue units operating firmware version G3-2.00.76 immediately, as high peak flows trigger automatic device shutdowns. Contact React Health at 863-226-6285 or 3B-Recall@reacthealth.com for replacement units. 6 |
| Bundibugyo Ebola travel restrictions | International travelers, flight crews, and clinicians assessing returning travelers | Commercial passengers present in the DRC within 21 days cannot board flights bound for the United States. Travelers returning from Uganda or South Sudan without DRC presence must arrive through designated screening airports and monitor for fever, muscle pain, and gastrointestinal symptoms for 21 days. 89 |
What the counts mean
Surveillance numbers reported this week distinguish between cumulative outbreak totals and recent testing intervals. In Pennsylvania, the Department of Health reported 676 cumulative confirmed cases on September 11, reflecting statewide transmission since late April 2026. 1 Within that total, 52 new positive cases were identified since September 9, demonstrating continued community spread across 37 counties. Hospitalizations reached 124, and cumulative deaths remained at two. Breakthrough infections occurred in four individuals, representing less than one percent of confirmed cases in the Commonwealth. Clinical follow-up showed that none of the four vaccinated patients required hospitalization, confirming that two doses of MMR vaccine continue to provide 97% protection against infection while reducing symptom severity. In response to community demand, Pennsylvania clinicians administered more than 46,000 MMR vaccine doses during August 2026.
Wisconsin's measles data separates confirmed cases from probable classifications and community wastewater detections. The Department of Health Services registered 155 confirmed cases and 6 probable cases in Grant, Iowa, and Lafayette Counties on September 11, bringing the statewide annual count to 163 cases. 2 Confirmed cases involve positive laboratory testing or direct epidemiological links, while probable cases present clinical symptoms without laboratory confirmation. Untreated municipal wastewater surveillance detected measles virus in Iowa County on August 26 and August 31, Grant County on August 19, and Lafayette County on August 25. Wastewater detections identify viral shedding across a sewershed population rather than diagnosing individuals or locating specific exposure buildings.
CDC's Health Alert Network advisory highlights rising exposure volumes alongside treatment errors rather than national biologic shortages. From July through August 2026, CDC received 17% more rabies inquiries than during the same period in 2025. 3 State health departments in at least eight jurisdictions documented spikes in post-exposure prophylaxis utilization and protocol deviations. National pharmacy data through September 2, 2026, showed year-over-year utilization increases of 33% for rabies vaccines and 76% for human rabies immune globulin. With a standard regimen costing between $11,000 and $14,000 per patient, correct risk assessments prevent unnecessary biologic usage and avert patient toxicity.
International Ebola counts show sustained transmission and geographic broadening in central Africa. WHO's September 10 Disease Outbreak News reported 6,757 confirmed cases and 3,267 deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as of September 7, yielding a crude case fatality ratio of 48.3%. 7 Since the previous release on August 28, Congolese authorities identified 963 additional confirmed cases and 481 deaths. Active transmission now spans 61 health zones in six provinces, with 51 health zones reporting cases in the preceding 21 days. The outbreak expanded into the Kayna health zone in North Kivu province. Ituri province remains the primary epicenter with 5,406 cumulative confirmed cases, while North Kivu recorded 1,066 cases and an elevated case fatality ratio of 65.4%. Contact tracing teams monitored 21,359 of 24,719 registered contacts during the latest reporting interval.
Travel and vaccine watch
Federal travel health warnings maintain strict geographic boundaries for central African routes. CDC advises avoiding all travel to Ituri and Nord-Kivu provinces under a Level 4 Travel Health Notice, and avoiding nonessential travel to Haut-Uélé and Tshopo provinces under Level 3. 910 Uganda and unaffected Congolese provinces remain under Level 2 enhanced precautions. 11 Under federal orders, travelers who have entered the DRC within 21 days of an international departure are prohibited from boarding commercial flights to the United States. 8 U.S. citizens arriving from Uganda or South Sudan without DRC exposure must enter through designated international airports equipped with health screening infrastructure, maintaining symptom monitoring for 21 days post-arrival.
On September 10, CDC published a clinical field report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report evaluating 21 Bundibugyo virus disease patients (20 confirmed, 1 probable) treated during Uganda's 2026 outbreak, which was declared over on August 26. 12 All 18 patients admitted to the Mulago Hospital treatment unit received off-label remdesivir under a compassionate-use framework. Eighteen of the 20 confirmed patients survived, yielding a 10% case fatality rate that contrasts with the 48.3% mortality rate recorded in the DRC. Laboratory evaluations revealed that every admitted patient presented with serum transaminitis, hypoalbuminemia, and hyponatremia upon admission, establishing an identifiable clinical profile for early hospital-based intervention.
Regarding preventive vaccines, WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization reaffirmed that Ervebo, the licensed Zaire ebolavirus vaccine, should be deployed against Bundibugyo virus disease exclusively within clinical research protocols because human clinical efficacy against this specific species remains unproven. 7 As of September 6, ring vaccination teams administered Ervebo to 2,007 healthcare and frontline workers across six health zones under trial oversight, while the PARTNERS therapeutic trial enrolled more than 300 confirmed patients across five facilities in Ituri. In the United States, CDC issued no changes to the routine child, adolescent, or adult immunization schedules this week. CDC's FluView report for Week 35, ending September 5, 2026, confirmed low seasonal influenza activity nationwide, with clinical laboratory test positivity at 1.3% (93.7% Influenza A, 6.3% Influenza B) and all 55 reporting jurisdictions registering minimal outpatient respiratory illness. 13
Recalls, devices, and clinical alerts
Food safety authorities opened a focused investigation into sprout contamination. Evergreen Fresh Sprouts LLC issued a voluntary recall on September 10 covering 215 cases of Broccoli Sprouts distributed in Idaho, Montana, and Washington. 4 The product was packaged in 4 oz clear zip lock bags bearing UPC 8 38796 00105 1 and Use By dates of September 7, September 9, September 11, September 14, and September 16, 2026. A third-party laboratory detected Salmonella in a sample from the September 16 lot, matching an active 22-case multistate outbreak of Salmonella Bovismorbifican. The company halted production on September 4. Consumers holding affected bags should discard them immediately.
In veterinary product safety, Vet Plus, Inc. announced a recall through the FDA on September 8 of canine daily supplements distributed nationwide through online retail channels including Amazon and Chewy.com. 5 The recall affects Fi Calming supplement 180 g (Lot 26118, UPC 8 50064 80011 1) and Fi 8-in-1 Formula supplement 180 g (Lot 26159, UPC 8 50055 11168 4) due to contaminated raw ingredients supplied to the manufacturer. Salmonella poses clinical infection risks to dogs while creating cross-contamination hazards for household members who handle the supplements or pet feces without immediate handwashing. Pet owners should seal remaining jars and dispose of them in household trash.
Medical device regulators designated the recall of BMC Medical Co., Ltd. Luna G3 APAP devices (Model LG3600) as a Class I recall. 6 Devices running firmware version G3-2.00.76 contain an algorithm defect: when subjected simultaneously to high therapy pressure, elevated respiratory rates, and high peak flow, the unit displays an error message and shuts down, interrupting prescribed respiratory support. Although the manufacturer updated 20,160 units at U.S. warehouse facilities, up to 196 units remained uncorrected in commercial circulation. Patients can identify affected units using device serial numbers on the rear label via the manufacturer portal at
https://en.bmc-medical.com/rc-adh.html and should request replacement hardware through React Health.For healthcare providers, CDC's rabies advisory outlines corrective measures for post-exposure prophylaxis errors. 3 Clinicians treating unvaccinated patients must calculate human rabies immune globulin at 20 IU/kg, infiltrating as much volume as possible directly into and around every identifiable bite or scratch before closing the wound. Any remaining volume is injected intramuscularly at a site anatomically distant from the initial vaccine injection. Rabies vaccine must be administered as 1.0 mL intramuscular injections into the deltoid muscle (adults and children over two years) or the anterolateral thigh (children two years and younger) on days 0, 3, 7, and 14. Injecting rabies vaccine into gluteal fat produces suboptimal antibody titers and requires repeating the dose at an approved site. Patients with confirmed prior rabies vaccination receive only two vaccine doses (days 0 and 3) and should not receive immune globulin. Immunocompromised patients require a five-dose series (days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28) followed by serologic titer verification.
Bottom line
- Verify MMR vaccination records for all household members; two doses deliver 97% protection against infection and reduce complication severity.
- If measles symptoms develop after an exposure, stay home and telephone the clinic or local health department before arriving.
- Immediately wash animal scratches or bites with soap and clean water for 15 minutes before seeking emergency medical care.
- Clinicians administering rabies prophylaxis must infiltrate immune globulin around wounds and inject vaccines exclusively into the deltoid or anterolateral thigh.
- Check produce drawers for Evergreen Fresh Sprouts broccoli sprouts with UPC 8 38796 00105 1 and Use By dates from September 7 through September 16, 2026; discard affected bags.
- Discontinue Fi Calming (Lot 26118) and 8-in-1 (Lot 26159) dog supplements and wash hands thoroughly after handling pet food or animal waste.
- Inspect Luna G3 APAP sleep therapy devices for firmware version G3-2.00.76; halt uncorrected units and request replacements through React Health.
- Confirm international flight itineraries comply with the 21-day DRC commercial boarding restriction and designated airport screening rules for Uganda and South Sudan arrivals.
References
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