Pennsylvania Reports First US Measles Deaths of 2026 as Outbreak Spreads
Two unvaccinated Pennsylvania residents died from measles, the first US fatalities this year, as national cases hit 2,777.
Pennsylvania health officials confirmed Tuesday that two residents died from measles, marking the first such fatalities in the United States this year and the state's first measles deaths in 35 years. Both individuals were unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which withheld further details citing privacy concerns.
The deaths come as the US contends with its most significant measles resurgence in over three decades. Federal data shows 2,777 confirmed infections nationwide as of August 20, with Pennsylvania among the hardest-hit states, recording 393 cases across 28 counties. Lancaster County alone has reported 185 cases.
Health officials attribute the outbreak to declining vaccination rates. Pennsylvania data for the 2025-2026 school year shows 93.2% of kindergarteners received the required two MMR doses, down from 93.7% the previous year. In Lancaster County, that figure drops to 87.6%.
Public health guidance notes that vaccination coverage of 95% or higher creates herd immunity, protecting those who cannot be vaccinated. Two doses of the MMR vaccine offer 97% protection against the virus, with children typically receiving the first dose at 12-15 months and the second between ages 4 and 6.
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Debra Bogen warned that decades of measles elimination have left people unfamiliar with the disease's severity. The current national case count is the highest in a single year since the 1989-1991 resurgence, which saw 55,000 infections and 123 deaths.