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Pennsylvania confirms two measles deaths, the first in the U.S. this year

Lancaster, PennsylvaniaPublished 26 Aug 2026

Both people were unvaccinated Lancaster County residents. Officials called them the first measles deaths in Pennsylvania in 35 years. Gov. Josh Shapiro confronted HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccine messaging.

Pennsylvania's health department on Tuesday confirmed two measles-associated deaths in unvaccinated Lancaster County residents, the state's first in 35 years and the first U.S. measles deaths of 2026. The state has 393 cases in 28 counties this year; Lancaster has had 185. The U.S. has 2,777 confirmed cases, the most since 1991. Secretary Debra Bogen urged MMR vaccination. Gov. Josh Shapiro said he told Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that federal vaccine rhetoric is harming communities.

Shared facts

Two unvaccinated people have died of measles in Pennsylvania, officials said.

They were not vaccinated against measles.

They are Pennsylvania's first measles deaths in 35 years.

Pennsylvania has seen 393 measles cases this year.

They are the first U.S. measles deaths reported in 2026.

U.S. infections have hit the highest point in 35 years.

Measles is among the most contagious diseases and is preventable with a vaccine.

The U.S. had three measles deaths last year.

That is well below the 95% rate cited for herd immunity.

The recent deaths occurred in Lancaster County.

One was an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico.

Two unvaccinated children in Texas died of measles last year.

It can cause pneumonia and brain swelling.

Up to 20% of people with measles are hospitalized.

Those cases span 28 counties.

Shapiro said the MMR vaccine is the best tool against illness and death.

Officials would not share further identifying details, including whether they were children.

The U.S. has 2,777 confirmed measles cases in 2026.

That is up from last year's high of 2,289.

BBC tied the rise in cases to growing vaccine hesitancy and lower immunization rates.

The U.S. recommends two shots between ages one and six, which are 97% effective.

The U.S. recommends two shots between ages one and six.

Trump and Kennedy linked vaccines to autism at a press conference, a claim scientific studies have repeatedly debunked.

Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a red rash.

Trump signed an order calling for fewer childhood vaccinations and splitting MMR into three shots.

The highly contagious virus spreads when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks.

Only 87.6% of Lancaster County kindergartners were fully vaccinated against measles last school year.

Bogen expressed sympathy for the families and urged residents to get vaccinated.

Bogen said people are not familiar with measles after more than three decades of elimination and do not fully understand how severe it can be.

BBC described Kennedy as a vaccine skeptic with mixed MMR messaging.

Bogen said the MMR vaccine is safe and the best protection against measles.

Measles deaths are rare, about one to three in 1,000 cases.

A panel in November will determine whether the U.S. keeps measles-elimination status.

Trump claimed at a White House event that MMR can be "quite lethal."

Shared opinions

Shapiro said the administration's actions and rhetoric are harming communities and that misinformation has real-life consequences.

Pennsylvania Department of Health

Pennsylvania Department of Health Confirms Two Measles-Associated Deaths

Pennsylvania Department of Health

Published 25 Aug 2026 accessed 25 Aug 2026

Facts

The virus can remain infectious in air and on surfaces for up to two hours.

Without proper protection or care, measles can be deadly.

Symptoms can start 7 to 21 days after exposure.

The state's health hotline is 877-PA-HEALTH (877-724-3258).

Opinion

No opinion marked.

Reuters

Pennsylvania reports first U.S. measles deaths this year as outbreak grows

Mariam Sunny, Siddhi Mahatole and Chad Terhune

Published 25 Aug 2026 accessed 25 Aug 2026

Facts

Lancaster County has had 185 measles cases.

93.2% of Pennsylvania kindergartners had two MMR doses in 2025-26, down from 93.7%.

William Moss said officials should identify communities with low measles coverage.

The 1989–1991 resurgence recorded about 55,000 infections and 123 deaths.

South Carolina had the nation's largest measles outbreak this year, with nearly 1,000 infections over six months.

That outbreak was declared over in April.

HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Opinion

Angela Dunn said the executive order does not help restore trust in vaccines.

Dunn said the Texas outbreak and deaths should have been a wake-up call.

Moss said mistrust of the measles vaccine is partly fed by misinformation.

POLITICO

2 unvaccinated people die of measles in Pennsylvania

Amanda Friedman

Published 25 Aug 2026 accessed 25 Aug 2026

Facts

More U.S. measles cases have been recorded in the past 18 months than in the prior 25 years combined.

Medical experts say the lethal claim is not supported by scientific evidence.

Gov. Josh Shapiro urged parents to get children the MMR shot.

Separate measles, mumps and rubella shots are not available in the U.S.

Kennedy has blamed Covid-19 lockdowns for the measles resurgence.

CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz countered Trump's claims in a Sunday interview.

Opinion

Politico said the Trump administration has sent mixed messages about MMR.

The Guardian

Two unvaccinated people die of measles in Pennsylvania

Jessica Glenza

Published 25 Aug 2026 accessed 25 Aug 2026

Facts

The announcement came a day after Maryland declared a measles outbreak in three counties.

Maryland has 31 confirmed measles cases.

CDC data showed the largest one-year increase yet in vaccine-exemption requests.

New York urged vaccination Monday, citing a rural case uptick.

Nearly half of the cases are in southern Lancaster County.

Most Pennsylvania cases reported to the state are in adults 18 to 49.

Official measles tallies typically undercount actual cases.

Opinion

Maryland's health secretary said overall risk remains low for the fully vaccinated.

Ars Technica

Two unvaccinated people die from measles in Pennsylvania, officials confirm

Beth Mole

Published 25 Aug 2026 accessed 25 Aug 2026

Facts

Before 2025, the last U.S. measles death was in 2015, in a woman with underlying conditions.

U.S. vaccination rates have slipped to around 92%.

The U.S. declared measles eliminated in 2000.

Non-medical vaccination exemptions hit a record 4% this year.

Pennsylvania measles vaccination fell from 96.7% in 2017 to 92.7% in 2026.

The combination MMR vaccine has a long safety record in testing and global use.

Complications can include hearing loss and intellectual disabilities.

MMR has never been linked to a death in a person with a competent immune system.

Measles can later cause SSPE, a rare fatal brain disease.

Opinion

Ars said that rare death risk is nonetheless real.

Ars said anti-vaccine rhetoric and misinformation have shaken confidence and driven down rates.

BBC News

Two unvaccinated people die of measles in Pennsylvania

Madeline Halpert

Published 25 Aug 2026 accessed 25 Aug 2026

Facts

BBC said 85% of Lancaster County kindergarten-age students are vaccinated against measles.

That Texas outbreak infected more than 1,000 people, primarily children.

Kennedy has taken steps over the past year to remake U.S. vaccine policy, including the childhood schedule.

Shapiro said he spoke with Kennedy by phone Tuesday, and Kennedy offered to send CDC staff.

A federal judge earlier this year blocked many of those changes.

Shapiro said he was "very blunt" with Kennedy about vaccinations.

Canada lost its measles-elimination status last year.

Opinion

Shapiro said measles is a serious and growing problem in the country and in Pennsylvania.

Shapiro said measles illness and death are completely preventable.

Public-health experts worry the order will confuse people about a safe vaccine and prove costly.