Pennsylvania Reports Fourth Measles Death in Worst Outbreak in Decades

Pennsylvania health officials have reported a fourth measles-associated death, marking the state's first fatalities from the disease in 35 years amid its worst outbreak in over three decades. The latest victim was an unvaccinated 18-year-old from Mifflin County, whose death was attributed to acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, a rare and severe neurological complication of measles, according to the county coroner's office. The announcement on Tuesday, September 15, brings the state's total measles-linked deaths to four. The other fatalities include two infants from Lancaster County and a 40-year-old woman from Jefferson County. All four individuals were unvaccinated, state health officials said. The infants were too young to have received the routine measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. Pennsylvania has recorded 693 measles cases across 38 counties in 2026, with approximately 100 new cases reported in the last seven days. The state's health department stated it conducted rigorous investigations with county coroners to confirm the deaths met specific criteria for measles association, including a positive laboratory test and death within 30 days of symptom onset.