Pennsylvania reports first US measles deaths of 2026 as nationwide cases reach 2,777

Fatalities in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed on Tuesday that two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County died after contracting measles. The deaths represent the first measles-related fatalities recorded in the United States in 2026 and the first in Pennsylvania in 35 years. State officials withheld personal identities to protect patient privacy. Lancaster County, which has a large Amish population and historically lower immunization rates, has served as the center of the local outbreak with roughly half of Pennsylvania's 393 confirmed cases in 2026. Nearly 20% of Pennsylvania patients infected with measles have required hospitalization, totaling at least 70 admissions across 28 affected counties. State health secretary Debra Bogen noted that prolonged absence of the virus left many residents unprepared for its effects.

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.

Nationwide case surge and hospitalizations

Federal data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed 2,777 confirmed measles cases across 47 states and Washington, D.C., as of 20 August 2026. The 2026 national tally surpassed the 2,289 cases recorded in all of 2025 during July, reaching the highest annual level in 35 years. The CDC reported 36 active outbreaks in 2026, which account for 2,614 of the confirmed infections. Nationwide hospitalizations reached 169 in 2026, compared to 243 hospitalizations and three deaths during 2025. CDC estimates indicate that roughly one in five unvaccinated individuals infected with measles requires hospital care for complications such as pneumonia, croup, ear infections, and encephalitis.

Falling vaccination rates and state disparities

Health officials attribute the growing outbreaks to lower immunization coverage among school-age children. CDC figures indicate that the proportion of kindergartners receiving non-medical vaccine exemptions rose from 3.6% in the previous school year to 4.2% nationwide. In Lancaster County, 87% of incoming kindergarteners are fully vaccinated, below the 95% threshold required to maintain community protection. State rates show wide geographic variation: West Virginia maintained kindergarten vaccination rates between 98% and 99%, while Idaho recorded an exemption rate of 17.5% and a routine coverage level of approximately 75%. Thomas Patterson, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics Idaho chapter, reported that local clinics encounter growing numbers of families delaying or refusing routine childhood immunizations.

And all of this suffering and hospitalization and death is entirely preventable. Why is it that the most vulnerable among us, our children, are forced to suffer our ignorance.

Federal policy disputes and regional spread

The outbreak has expanded into neighboring jurisdictions as federal vaccine guidelines face internal revision. On Monday, Maryland health officials identified 14 cases across three counties, bringing the state total to 31 infections since July. In early August, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to split the standard measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three separate injections delivered across different medical visits. The American Academy of Pediatrics responded by suing the Department of Health and Human Services over reductions to recommended immunization schedules. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro addressed the rising case numbers during a Tuesday press briefing.

Illness and death from measles is completely preventable. We already have the tools to protect ourselves and our families from this disease, which is one of the most contagious diseases on the face of the Earth.