Pennsylvania reports first 2 US measles deaths this year as country endures worst outbreak since 1991
Two unvaccinated Pennsylvania residents have died after being infected with measles, becoming the first US deaths related to the highly contagious virus this year, state health officials announced on Tuesday. Officials did not release details about the people who died, other than that they lived in Lancaster County, west of Philadelphia.
By Source Reporters Newsdesk
Thu, 27 August 2026 · 1 min read
Two unvaccinated Pennsylvania residents have died after being infected with measles, becoming the first US deaths related to the highly contagious virus this year, state health officials announced on Tuesday (AP News). Officials did not release details about the people who died, other than that they lived in Lancaster County, west of Philadelphia.
"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," said state Health Secretary Dr Debra Bogen (AP News).
The United States is enduring its worst measles year since 1991, with 2,777 cases recorded as of Thursday according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — already surpassing the total for all of 2025 (AP News). In total, the US has now seen five measles-associated deaths over the past two years, more than the combined reported death toll of the previous three decades.
The surge threatens the country's public-health milestone status: international health officials are due to meet in November to determine whether the United States and Mexico have lost their measles-free designation. The US eliminated local spread of the virus in 2000 by maintaining high vaccination coverage, but rates have fallen below the 95% threshold needed to prevent outbreaks (AP News).
The outbreak has coincided with policy shifts at federal level. President Donald Trump earlier this month signed an executive order calling for revamped childhood vaccine recommendations, and has advocated splitting the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot into three separate vaccines — despite scientific studies finding no basis for safety concerns about the combined schedule (AP News).
**Sources:** Associated Press
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