● Covered by 1 source · 8 reportsMedium impact6 negative2 neutral
Two Unvaccinated Individuals Die from Measles in Pennsylvania Amidst Rising Cases
Key points
- Two unvaccinated people died from measles in Pennsylvania.
- These are the first measles deaths in PA in 35 years and US in 2026.
- US measles cases in 2026 (2,777) are the highest since 1991.
- National vaccination rates have fallen to 92%, below the 95% target.
- One of the two unvaccinated people who died from measles was a newborn baby.
- Pennsylvania has nearly 400 confirmed measles cases.
- CDC is not including two measles deaths reported by Pennsylvania in its national data.
- CDC stated available information does not establish measles as the cause of death.
- CDC's new director, Erica Schwartz, made the decision.
- The CDC website listed total measles deaths for 2026 as "0" on August 29 at 2:33 pm ET.
- The CDC website changed information multiple times over the weekend.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as Health Secretary, directed the CDC to remove the two measles-related deaths.
- The two deaths were added and then removed from the CDC's website within hours on August 30.
- Pennsylvania's ongoing measles outbreak has sickened 540 people, including 119 in the last week.
- An internal CDC database, "One CDC Data Platform," still includes the two deaths.
- A 6-week-old baby girl in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, died from measles.
- The baby died at home on August 18.
- The baby had a genetic condition called Amish lethal microcephaly.
- A 40-year-old unvaccinated woman in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, died from measles complications.
- This is the third measles-linked death in Pennsylvania this year.
- The measles outbreak in Pennsylvania has caused over 670 cases and 124 hospitalizations across 37 counties.
- Jefferson County Coroner Greg Furlong confirmed the death in a news release dated September 12.
- An 18-year-old in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, died from measles.
- The 18-year-old died from acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM).
- This is the fourth measles-related death in Pennsylvania.
- The Mifflin County coroner is Andrea L. Alcalde.
- ADEM is a rapidly progressing autoimmune disorder.
- A fifth unvaccinated person died from measles in Pennsylvania.
- The fifth person who died was a resident of Lancaster County.
- Pennsylvania's total measles case count is 943 across 39 counties.
- 119 measles cases were reported in Pennsylvania in the last seven days.
- At least 176 people have been hospitalized for measles in Pennsylvania.
- Lancaster County has reported 381 measles cases and three of the five deaths.
- One of the previous deaths was a newborn boy.
- The 40-year-old woman who died had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
First Measles Deaths in Pennsylvania in Decades
Pennsylvania health officials confirmed Tuesday that two unvaccinated individuals have died from measles. These are the first reported measles deaths in Pennsylvania in 35 years and the first in the United States in 2026. The individuals were residents of Lancaster County, but no further details were released due to privacy concerns.
Rising Measles Cases and Declining Vaccination Rates
The deaths coincide with a significant increase in measles cases across the US. In 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded at least 2,777 cases, which is the highest total since 1991. This surge is attributed to declining vaccination rates nationwide, which have slipped to approximately 92 percent, falling below the 95 percent threshold needed to prevent community spread. Non-medical vaccination exemptions have also reached a record high of 4 percent this year.
Local Impact of Vaccination Decline
In Pennsylvania, measles vaccination rates have decreased from 96.7 percent in 2017 to 92.7 percent in 2026. Specifically, in Lancaster County, where the recent deaths occurred, only 87.6 percent of kindergartners were fully vaccinated against measles in the last school year. The state has reported 393 confirmed cases across 28 counties this year.
Historical Context of Measles Elimination
The US had declared measles eliminated in 2000 following concerted vaccination efforts that broke transmission chains over a 12-month period. Prior to the 2026 deaths, the US had not seen a measles death since 2015. Last year, three measles deaths were reported: two unvaccinated school-aged children in Texas and one unvaccinated adult in New Mexico.
Updates
- A fifth unvaccinated person died from measles in Pennsylvania.
- The fifth person who died was a resident of Lancaster County.
- Pennsylvania's total measles case count is 943 across 39 counties.
- 119 measles cases were reported in Pennsylvania in the last seven days.
- At least 176 people have been hospitalized for measles in Pennsylvania.
- Lancaster County has reported 381 measles cases and three of the five deaths.
- One of the previous deaths was a newborn boy.
- The 40-year-old woman who died had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- An 18-year-old in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, died from measles.
- The 18-year-old died from acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM).
- This is the fourth measles-related death in Pennsylvania.
- The Mifflin County coroner is Andrea L. Alcalde.
- ADEM is a rapidly progressing autoimmune disorder.
- A 40-year-old unvaccinated woman in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, died from measles complications.
- This is the third measles-linked death in Pennsylvania this year.
- The measles outbreak in Pennsylvania has caused over 670 cases and 124 hospitalizations across 37 counties.
- Jefferson County Coroner Greg Furlong confirmed the death in a news release dated September 12.
- A 6-week-old baby girl in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, died from measles.
- The baby died at home on August 18.
- The baby had a genetic condition called Amish lethal microcephaly.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as Health Secretary, directed the CDC to remove the two measles-related deaths.
- The two deaths were added and then removed from the CDC's website within hours on August 30.
- Pennsylvania's ongoing measles outbreak has sickened 540 people, including 119 in the last week.
- An internal CDC database, "One CDC Data Platform," still includes the two deaths.
- CDC is not including two measles deaths reported by Pennsylvania in its national data.
- CDC stated available information does not establish measles as the cause of death.
- CDC's new director, Erica Schwartz, made the decision.
- The CDC website listed total measles deaths for 2026 as "0" on August 29 at 2:33 pm ET.
- The CDC website changed information multiple times over the weekend.
- One of the two unvaccinated people who died from measles was a newborn baby.
- Pennsylvania has nearly 400 confirmed measles cases.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
A fifth unvaccinated individual has died from measles in Pennsylvania, bringing the state's total case count to 943 across 39 counties. This outbreak, centered in Lancaster County, marks the first measles deaths in Pennsylvania in 35 years and highlights the risks associated with non-vaccination.
An unvaccinated 18-year-old in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, died from acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), a severe neurological complication of measles. This marks the fourth measles-related death in the state, which is experiencing its worst outbreak in over three decades.
A 40-year-old unvaccinated woman in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, died from complications related to measles, marking the third such death in the state this year. This incident highlights the severity of the ongoing measles outbreak in Pennsylvania, which has seen over 670 cases and 124 hospitalizations across 37 counties.
A six-week-old baby in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, died from measles, confirmed by the county coroner. This confirmation addresses earlier disputes regarding the cause of death and aligns with the state health department's reports of two infant measles deaths.
Reports indicate that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as Health Secretary, directed the CDC to remove two measles-related deaths from its public website, despite internal CDC review confirming their measles connection. These deaths, involving a newborn and a child from Pennsylvania's ongoing measles outbreak, are reportedly still present in an internal CDC database accessible to health officials. This action raises concerns about transparency and data integrity within public health reporting.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is not including two measles deaths reported by Pennsylvania health officials in its national measles data update. This decision challenges the state's death determinations and breaks the precedent of states being the arbiters of such data, with the CDC stating that available information does not establish measles as the cause or contributing factor to the deaths.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted anti-vaccine rhetoric on social media after two unvaccinated individuals, including a newborn, died from measles in Pennsylvania. These deaths are the first measles-linked fatalities in Pennsylvania in 35 years and contribute to a nationwide surge in cases, with nearly 2,800 reported this year.
Two unvaccinated individuals in Pennsylvania have died from measles, marking the first measles deaths in the state in 35 years and the first in the US in 2026. These deaths occur as national vaccination rates decline and measles cases surge, with 2,777 cases reported in the US in 2026, the highest total since 1991.