Pennsylvania records first measles deaths in 35 years as US cases surge
Two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County have died from measles, the first fatalities in the state in three decades and the first in the United States in 2026, amid a national outbreak driven by slipping vaccination rates.
State health officials have confirmed that two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, have died from measles. The fatalities mark the first measles deaths reported in the state in 35 years and the first in the United States in 2026. While officials cited privacy concerns to withhold specific details about the individuals, they noted that both were residents of the county and had not received the vaccine.
The deaths occur against a backdrop of a significant national surge in cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has tallied at least 2,777 measles cases nationwide this year, the highest total recorded since 1991. In Pennsylvania alone, 393 confirmed cases have been reported across 28 counties. This resurgence is particularly stark given that the US declared measles eliminated in 2000 after concerted vaccination efforts successfully broke the chains of transmission.
Analysts point to declining vaccination rates as a primary driver of the outbreak. US vaccination rates have slipped to approximately 92 percent, falling below the 95 percent threshold required for herd immunity. Non-medical exemptions have reached a record high of 4 percent this year. In Lancaster County, where the deaths occurred, only 87.6 percent of kindergartners were fully vaccinated against measles in the last school year, according to state data.
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen stated that the MMR vaccine is safe and provides the best protection available against the disease. She noted that because measles was largely eliminated in the state for more than three decades, many residents are unfamiliar with the illness and may not fully understand its potential severity. Bogen urged residents to seek vaccination to protect themselves and their communities.
The decline in confidence is partly attributed to political discourse surrounding the vaccine. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the US health secretary and an ardent anti-vaccine activist, has contributed to a shift in public sentiment. Additionally, President Trump recently claimed that the MMR vaccine can be “quite lethal,” a statement officials note is false for individuals with competent immune systems. Despite these claims, the combination vaccine remains 97 percent effective when two doses are administered.
Measles remains one of the most contagious viruses in the world, with a fatality rate of one to three in 1,000 cases. While fatalities are rare, the disease can lead to severe complications, including hospitalisation, hearing loss, and intellectual disabilities. It can also cause a rare but fatal neurological condition known as subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, which typically strikes years after a child seemingly recovers from the initial infection.
