Two People Died From Measles
Two unvaccinated people in Pennsylvania have died after contracting measles, marking the first measles related deaths in the state in 35 years and the first reported measles deaths in the United States in 2026, state health officials confirmed Tuesday.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health said both victims were residents of Lancaster County. Officials did not release their ages, identities or other personal information, citing the privacy of the victims and their families.
The deaths come as measles continues to spread across Pennsylvania and the country. The state has recorded 393 confirmed measles cases across 28 counties so far this year, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Pennsylvania’s First Measles Deaths in Decades
Measles had largely disappeared from Pennsylvania for decades because of widespread vaccination. The two deaths represent the state’s first losses associated with the virus in 35 years, according to health officials.
Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen expressed condolences to the victims’ families and warned that the long absence of widespread measles has made it easier for people to underestimate the disease.
“Because measles was largely eliminated in the Commonwealth for more than three decades, people are not familiar with this disease and don’t fully understand the potential severity of the illness.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Health said measles can cause serious complications, including pneumonia and brain swelling. Nearly 20% of people who contract measles are hospitalized, according to state health officials.
Cases are Rising Nationwide
The Pennsylvania deaths come during the worst resurgence of measles in the United States in decades. Federal data cited by health organizations show 2,777 confirmed measles cases nationwide in 2026 as of late August, surpassing the total reported during all of 2025.
The two Pennsylvania deaths bring the number of measles associated deaths reported in the United States since the beginning of 2025 to five. Three deaths were reported last year, including two unvaccinated school age children in Texas and an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico.
The resurgence has raised concerns about declining vaccination coverage and the ability to maintain community protection against a virus that is among the most contagious known to public health officials.
Health Officials Urge Vaccination
The Pennsylvania Department of Health continues to emphasize vaccination as the strongest protection against measles. Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine provide about 97% protection against measles, according to state health officials.
Pennsylvania has expanded vaccination efforts in response to the outbreak. The state said it has held 91 measles vaccine pop up clinics this year, administering more than 4,100 vaccinations through those clinics. More than 35,000 Pennsylvanians received an MMR vaccine in July, according to the governor’s office.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Early symptoms typically include fever, cough, a runny nose and red, watery eyes. A characteristic rash generally develops several days later, beginning on the head and spreading downward. Symptoms can appear between seven and 21 days after exposure.
A Preventable Disease is Killing Americans Again
The Pennsylvania deaths underscore how quickly measles can become a serious public health threat when vaccination levels fall.
The United States declared measles eliminated in 2000 after sustained vaccination efforts interrupted ongoing transmission. The disease, however, was never eradicated globally, meaning outbreaks can return when infected people enter communities where vaccination coverage is insufficient to prevent sustained transmission.
Pennsylvania health officials are urging residents who may have been exposed to measles and are experiencing symptoms to contact a health care provider promptly. The state Department of Health also operates a public health hotline at 877-PA-HEALTH, or 877-724-3258.
For now, the identities of the two Lancaster County victims remain private. What officials have confirmed is that both were unvaccinated, both died after contracting measles and their deaths represent Pennsylvania’s first measles fatalities in more than three decades.
