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.