Pennsylvania records first two measles deaths of 2026 as US cases hit 35-year high

The Pennsylvania state health department has confirmed the deaths of two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County from measles, marking the first measles-related fatalities in the United States in 2026. The confirmation, released on Tuesday, notes that both individuals resided in the south-central Pennsylvania county, which has a significant Amish population. Officials cited privacy concerns to withhold further details about the deceased, but the deaths underscore the severity of the current outbreak.

Pennsylvania has recorded 393 measles cases in 2026 so far, with roughly half of those cases located in Lancaster County. Only Utah and South Carolina have logged more cases this year. Governor Josh Shapiro described the situation as a serious and growing problem, noting that nearly 20 percent of those infected in the state have been hospitalised. The virus can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, which is the leading cause of death in children with measles, as well as encephalitis, deafness, and intellectual disability.

Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports nearly 2,800 measles cases in 2026, a 35-year high. This figure represents a significant increase from 2,289 cases in 2025 and 285 cases in 2023. Declining vaccination rates are a primary driver of the surge, with new CDC data showing that vaccination coverage among kindergartners decreased for all reported vaccines during the past school year. Non-medical exemptions for vaccines have also reached a record high of 4.2 percent nationwide, up from 3.6 percent.

The challenge is compounded by the high contagiousness of measles, which requires 95 percent of a community to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity. In Lancaster County, only 87 percent of incoming kindergarteners are fully vaccinated. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is 97 percent effective against measles when both doses are administered. In response to the outbreak, state health staff have held 91 pop-up vaccination clinics and administered more than 4,100 vaccines across Pennsylvania, with about a quarter of those given in Lancaster County.

Political tensions have further complicated the response. President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order to break up the combined MMR vaccine, a move criticised by more than 210 medical organisations. The MMR vaccine has been licensed as a single injection since 1971, and splitting it could require up to six doctor visits to complete the series. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently suggested on CNN that outbreaks are concentrated in religious communities that do not vaccinate, a comment Governor Shapiro disputed, noting that measles has been traced to 28 different counties in Pennsylvania.

Shapiro stated that he turned down an offer of help from Kennedy, citing the negative impact of the administration’s rhetoric on communities across America. The governor emphasised that illness and death from measles are completely preventable, urging the public to utilise existing tools to protect themselves and their families from one of the most contagious diseases on Earth.