Two Unvaccinated Pennsylvania Residents Die From Measles

Two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, have died from measles, marking the first measles-associated fatalities in the United States this year and the first in Pennsylvania in 35 years. The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed the deaths on August 25, 2026, amid a national resurgence of the highly contagious disease that has pushed the country to the brink of losing its measles elimination status.

The deaths underscore the severity of a virus that had been largely eradicated in the U.S. but is now spreading rapidly due to declining vaccination rates. Health officials emphasized that both individuals were unvaccinated, a common factor in the vast majority of cases nationwide. "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 Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen. She stressed that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and provides the best protection.

Pennsylvania has recorded 393 confirmed measles cases in 2026, the third-highest total nationally. This local spike is part of a...