Two people in Eastern Pennsylvania have died after being infected with measles—the state’s first measles-related deaths since 1991 and the first reported in the United States this year.
The state has reported a total of 393 cases in 28 counties in 2026.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, both individuals were unvaccinated. The agency confirmed both individuals were unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County, west of Philadelphia. No additional details were made available.
“My deepest sympathies are with the loved ones who are facing this unimaginable loss,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen. “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. We want to ensure every Pennsylvanian has the information they need to protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities. As a physician, I want to make sure that people understand that the MMR vaccine is safe and provides the best protection we have against measles.”
The measles-related deaths are the first reported in the US since 2025, when one adult died in New Mexico, and two children died in Texas.
The CDC has reported a total of 2,777 confirmed measles cases in the United States so far in 2026. That total is the most in 36 years, since 9,643 cases were confirmed in 1991.
Measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000 but is at risk of losing that status, as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is set to review whether the virus is now endemic in November 2026.
