Two unvaccinated Pennsylvanians die from measles, first deaths in 35 years

Two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, have died from measles, state health officials announced Tuesday. The deaths mark the first measles fatalities in Pennsylvania in 35 years and the first reported in the United States this year.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health did not release additional details about the deceased, citing privacy concerns. Governor Josh Shapiro and Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen held a news conference Tuesday to address the outbreak.

"My deepest sympathies are with the loved ones who are facing this unimaginable loss," Bogen said in a statement. "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."

Pennsylvania has recorded 393 confirmed measles cases across 28 counties so far in 2026. Lancaster County, where both deaths occurred, has been a significant outbreak center, with nearly half of the state's cases concentrated in the southern part of the county.

Vaccination rates in Lancaster County remain below the threshold needed to prevent widespread transmission. Eighty-five percent of kindergarten-age students in the county are vaccinated against measles, well below the 95 percent rate required for herd immunity to limit spread and protect immunocompromised individuals.

Measles cases across the United States have reached their highest levels since 1991. As of August 20, 2,777 confirmed measles cases had been reported nationwide, surpassing the previous year's total. The virus was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000.

Governor Shapiro characterized the situation as a serious public health concern. "This is a serious and a growing problem across our country and in our commonwealth," he said during the Tuesday news conference. "This illness and death from measles is completely preventable."

The Pennsylvania outbreak follows a measles outbreak in Texas last year that infected over 1,000 people, primarily children, and resulted in two unvaccinated children dying from the virus.