Pennsylvania Reports First US Measles Deaths This Year

Pennsylvania health officials announced on Tuesday that two unvaccinated residents died from measles in Lancaster County, marking the first such deaths in the state in 35 years and the first nationwide this year. This brings Pennsylvania's total confirmed cases to 393 across 28 counties so far in 2026.

The victims were unvaccinated individuals, underscoring ongoing concerns about declining vaccination rates. Health Secretary Debra Bogen emphasized that '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 its potential severity,' as reported by multiple outlets.

Nationwide, measles cases have surged significantly in 2026. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 2,777 confirmed cases by August 20—the highest number of U.S. cases in a single year since the late 1980s and early '90s when over 55,000 infections and 123 deaths were recorded. More measles cases have been reported in the past two years than from 2000 through 2024 combined.

The CDC recommends maintaining a vaccination rate of 95% for herd immunity, but recent figures show declines below this threshold. In Pennsylvania, kindergarten MMR vaccination rates dropped to 93.2% in the 2025-2026 school year from 93.7% previously. Lancaster County saw an even sharper decline to 87.6%, with estimates that only about 25% of the Amish population there is vaccinated.

Governor Josh Shapiro and Health Secretary Bogen are set to address the public later on Tuesday. Measles symptoms typically appear within seven to 14 days after exposure, including high fever, cough, runny nose, rash, and red, watery eyes. The CDC recommends two doses of MMR vaccine for children starting at 12-15 months old.

Al Jazeera reported that the anti-vaccination movement has been partly driven by prominent figures such as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr., who have pushed debunked claims linking vaccinations with autism. US President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this month calling for the number of recommended vaccines for children to be reduced, continuing a push to roll back decades of scientific consensus on the safety and efficacy of vaccinations.