Deadly Measles Returns — First U.S. Fatalities

Two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, have died from measles, marking the state’s first measles deaths in 35 years and the first anywhere in the United States this year.

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Pennsylvania’s Department of Health confirmed two measles-associated deaths, the state’s first in 35 years.
Both victims lived in Lancaster County and were unvaccinated, officials said.
These are the first measles deaths reported anywhere in the U.S. in 2026, even as national case counts hit record highs.
Governor Josh Shapiro called the outbreak “a serious and a growing problem” for Pennsylvania and the country.

Two Unvaccinated Residents Die in Lancaster County

The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed Tuesday that two people died after contracting measles. Officials said both were unvaccinated and lived in Lancaster County, a densely populated area in the southeastern part of the state. Health officials said these are the first measles deaths recorded in the commonwealth in 35 years.

Governor Josh Shapiro spoke to reporters after the announcement. He said the deaths reflect a bigger problem spreading across the country. “This is a serious and a growing problem across the country, and right here in our commonwealth,” Shapiro said.

Outbreak Grows Across Pennsylvania

The outbreak started in the Lebanon and Lancaster county area in late April. It has since grown to more than 80 confirmed cases statewide, with most infections tied to that original cluster. State health officials have kept adding new cases each week as the virus spreads through under-vaccinated communities in the region.

Nationally, measles infections have already passed last year’s total, giving the country its worst outbreak since measles was declared eliminated in 2000. Even so, these two Pennsylvania deaths are the first measles fatalities reported anywhere in the United States this year. Three people died from measles nationwide in 2025.

A Disease Once Considered Defeated

Measles deaths used to be common in America. Before a vaccine became available in 1963, the disease killed about 495 people every year, most of them children. The last confirmed U.S. measles death before this year happened back in 2015, showing just how rare fatalities had become after decades of widespread vaccination.

🗞 Pennsylvania reported its first two measles deaths of 2026 in Lancaster County, as the U.S. faces its largest outbreak in decades with 2,777 cases nationwide.

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Health officials continue to stress that measles is preventable with vaccination. They warn the disease can cause pneumonia, brain swelling, and death in rare but serious cases. As the outbreak continues, the deaths add new pressure on state and federal leaders already facing tough questions about vaccination rates and public trust in health guidance.