Measles cases in Pennsylvania have now reached 835, according to the state Department of Health yesterday, and 43 of them are new. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday listed a single measles death for 2026 on its dashboard—its first confirmed death of 2026—but Pennsylvania is still reporting four recent deaths related to the virus. 

Unclear which death is being recognized

It is unclear which death the CDC’s listing is referring to. An asterisk on the dashboard page says, “This number is subject to change; CDC will update its reporting as additional information becomes available and relevant reviews are completed.”

Last week Pennsylvania officials warned the CDC they would not accept any agency aid in fighting the outbreak until the agency recognized the four deaths. Gov Josh Shapiro and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. got into a back-and-forth on X about determining if the case-patients had died “from” or “with” measles. The deaths were the first reported in Pennsylvania in 35 years.

“The Secretary personally intervened in an otherwise administrative process to direct the CDC to not report these Pennsylvania deaths, presumably because it doesn’t fit his phony narrative,” Shapiro wrote on X last week.

The state has the largest active outbreak in the country and could surpass the South Carolina outbreak (997 cases) of 2025-2026 as the largest outbreak in recent US history. 

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recorded eight new H5N1 avian flu outbreaks among commercial poultry, backyard flocks, and commercial turkey operations, with six of the outbreaks reported in Minnesota, while a new study reports H5 avian flu in polar bears in Alaska. 

Montana and Wisconsin each reported a single poultry outbreak. 

The largest outbreak was in Barron County, Wisconsin, with 79,100 affected birds at a commercial turkey meat operation. A total of 51,500 birds were sickened in two separate outbreaks at commercial turkey facilities in Stearns County, Minnesota.

In the past 30 days H5N1 avian flu has been confirmed in 20 flocks, including 13 commercial farms and seven backyard flocks. A total of 560,000 birds have been affected. 

Minnesota also reported at least 40 wild-bird H5N1 avian flu detections in the past 10 days, most in the seven-county Minneapolos-St. Paul metro area. Mallards, Canada geese, and three bald eagles are among the wild birds.

Avian flu in Alaskan polar bears

In other news, a report this week in Science Direct notes that three dead polar bears in Alaska were infected with highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza (HPAIV) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses in 2023 and 2024. 

“These data indicate that HPAIV infection may represent an emerging threat to polar bear health within the Alaska Arctic; though, population immunity seems to be building and may protect this species from widespread demographic impacts of disease,” the authors said. 

Ten more people have fallen ill in a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to broccoli sprouts, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in an update today.

The outbreak of Salmonella Bovismorbificans has now sickened 32 people in six states, with three hospitalized. Illness-onset dates range from July 7 to September 3. Of the 27 people who’ve been interviewed, 26 reported eating sprouts or microgreens.

Packaged broccoli sprouts grown by Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC, and sold to grocery stores, restaurants, and foodservice customers in Idaho, Montana, and Washington have been recalled, the Food and Drug Administration said in its update on the investigation. Sprout samples collected by officials in Washington state tested positive for Salmonella Bovismorbificans, and whole-genome sequencing indicated the samples matched the outbreak strain.

“If you have recalled broccoli sprouts in your home, throw them out or return them,” the CDC said.

More Salmonella cases linked to pet turtles

The CDC also recently provided an update on a Salmonella outbreak tied to pet turtles, which has now grown to 20 illnesses in 12 states—12 new cases and six newly affected states since July 27. Half of the illnesses are in children under age 5.

The outbreak is caused by a strain of Salmonella Paratyphi B Variant L (+) Tartrate +. Of the 14 people who’ve been interviewed, 11 said they’d had contact with pet turtles before getting sick. The turtles were bought from pet stores, flea markets, and a reptile expo, the CDC said.