Deadly Measles Comeback Stuns State Officials

Medical supplies including a stethoscope, syringes, and medication related to measles — DEADLY MEASLES COMEBACK

Two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, have died from measles, the first deaths from the disease in the state in 35 years.

Quick Take

Pennsylvania’s Department of Health confirmed two measles deaths on August 25, 2026, both unvaccinated Lancaster County residents.
These mark the state’s first measles deaths since 1991 and the first reported measles deaths in the United States this year.
Pennsylvania has recorded 393 measles cases across 28 counties so far in 2026, with cases climbing steadily since April.
Every confirmed case in the state’s outbreak this year has involved someone who was not fully vaccinated.

State Health Officials Confirm First Fatalities In A Generation

The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced Tuesday that two people died after contracting measles, ending a 35-year streak without a single fatality from the disease in the state.

Officials confirmed both victims lived in Lancaster County and had not been vaccinated. The department chose not to release further personal details, citing privacy concerns for the families involved.

Two people have died in Pennsylvania from measles, the state health department said. Both were unvaccinated.

These are the first deaths related to measles within the state in 35 years and the first deaths reported this year in the U.S.

Read more: https://t.co/Vs2KNDIxWt pic.twitter.com/YnxDa1kyko

— ABC News (@ABC) August 25, 2026

Lancaster County has been the center of Pennsylvania’s outbreak since it began in late April. State data show that 41 of the earliest 84 cases this year were traced back to that single county, with neighboring Lebanon County close behind.

The virus spread fastest through communities with lower vaccination coverage, a pattern health officials have tracked closely since the outbreak’s first weeks.

A Statewide Surge That Outpaced Three Decades Of History

By late August, Pennsylvania’s case count had grown to 393 across 28 counties, according to the state health department. That total already surpasses the 32 cases reported in May, which at the time was the state’s highest yearly count since 1991.

The climb continued through the summer, with new counties like Clinton, Elk and Warren reporting their first cases in mid-August.

Every confirmed measles patient in Pennsylvania this year shares one trait: none were fully vaccinated against the disease. State tracking data from May showed 22 of 23 total cases involved unvaccinated individuals, with the lone exception still under review. That pattern held through the summer, reinforcing what health officials call the clearest predictor of severe outcomes.

Measles Remains Rare In America, But Far From Harmless

Before this week, no measles deaths had been recorded in the United States in 2026, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That streak ended with the Pennsylvania announcement.

Last year, three Americans died from measles, including two children, out of roughly 2,289 national cases. The disease can cause pneumonia, brain swelling, and in rare cases, a fatal degenerative brain condition that can appear years after infection.

Globally, the World Health Organization estimated 95,000 measles deaths in 2024, most among children who were unvaccinated or had received only one dose. Worldwide vaccination campaigns have cut measles deaths by 88 percent since 2000, saving an estimated 59 million lives.

That progress depends entirely on maintaining high vaccination coverage, something Pennsylvania’s outbreak suggests has slipped in certain communities.

What Comes Next For Pennsylvania’s Response

Pennsylvania’s health department has already responded to multiple exposure events in Lancaster County this month, including two separate potential exposures flagged in mid-August.

State officials continue to urge residents to check vaccination records, particularly parents of young children, who face the highest risk of severe complications. Hospitalizations tied to the outbreak reached 62 people by mid-August, even before this week’s deaths were confirmed.

The measles vaccine remains one of the most effective tools in modern medicine, and Pennsylvania’s own case data makes that point plainly.

Every single confirmed infection this year, and now both deaths, involved someone without full vaccination protection. That fact alone should settle the debate for any parent weighing the shot against the very real risk of the disease itself.