Two dead in Pennsylvania measles outbreak, first in US in 2026

At least two people have died of measles in Pennsylvania , the state’s health department said, adding that both were unvaccinated . The measles deaths were the first in Pennsylvania in 35 years, the state Department of Health said in a news release Aug. 25 , and the first such deaths in the United States this year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data . “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 Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen said in a statement. “As a physician, I want to make sure that people understand that the MMR vaccine is safe and provides the best protection we have against measles.” Both patients lived in Lancaster County, the health department said, adding that it would not identify them to protect their and their families' privacy. Nearly 20% of people who contract measles end up in the hospital.

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