The United States has recorded its first two measles deaths this year, marking a significant increase in the virus’s presence across the nation. The state’s health department confirmed on Tuesday that two individuals in Pennsylvania have succumbed to the disease, establishing a trend of escalating measles cases. These are the first measles-related deaths in the country this year, raising concerns about the ongoing spread of the virus.
The individuals, both residents of Lancaster County in south-central Pennsylvania, were unvaccinated and belonged to the Amish community, a significant portion of the state’s population. The health department stated that they would not be releasing additional details about the individuals to protect their privacy, citing concerns about potential identification. Lancaster County, a large Amish population, has a history of measles cases, with roughly half of the county’s residents experiencing the disease. Only Utah and South Carolina have logged more measles cases this year.
The state’s health department reported 393 measles cases in 2026, with approximately half of those residing in Lancaster County. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called measles a ‘serious and growing problem’ in a press conference on Tuesday, emphasizing the importance of preventative measures. He stated that illness and death from measles is completely preventable, and the country possesses tools to protect against the disease, which is considered one of the most contagious illnesses on Earth.
In Pennsylvania, nearly 20 percent of those infected with measles have been hospitalized. The virus can cause severe complications, including pneumonia, which is the leading cause of death in children who contract measles. The infection can also result in brain swelling, or encephalitis, which can sometimes lead to deafness or intellectual disability.
Nationwide, there have been nearly 2,800 measles cases this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This represents a 15% increase from 2,289 cases in 2025 and a significant increase compared to the 285 cases seen in 2023. Declining vaccination rates across the country are fueling these outbreaks. New data released by the CDC earlier this month indicated that vaccination coverage among kindergartners during the past school year decreased for all reported vaccines. Meanwhile, the number of parents seeking non-medical exemptions for vaccines for their children grew from 3.6 percent to a record high of 4.2 percent nationwide. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is 97 percent effective against measles if both doses are given, and serious side effects are extremely rare in fully vaccinated individuals.
Shapiro cited misinformation around vaccination as a primary driver of cases in Pennsylvania. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is 97 percent effective against measles if both doses are given, and serious side effects are extremely rare in fully vaccinated people. Shapiro stated that staff at the state health department have held 91 pop-up vaccination clinics and administered more than 4,100 vaccines across the state this year in response to the outbreak. About a quarter of those have been given in Lancaster County.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently stated that places facing measles outbreaks are almost all religious communities that just don’t vaccinate. Shapiro noted on Tuesday that measles has been traced to 28 different counties throughout Pennsylvania and said it would not be fair to conclude that this is a problem in one particular community.
The governor said he was late to the press conference because Kennedy called him to offer help in responding to the outbreak. “I was very, very blunt with him,” Shapiro said, noting that he turned Kennedy down. “I made very clear that his actions and the rhetoric that’s coming from this administration are having a negative impact on communities across America.”
Amid surging measles cases, President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order to ‘break up’ the combined MMR vaccine. Currently, the vaccine involves a two-dose regimen, and splitting up the vaccine could require a total of six visits to the doctor to complete the full vaccine series. More than 210 medical organizations and patient groups issued a statement saying the move would leave children less protected and families more confused. The MMR vaccine has been licensed since 1971 as a single injection, and there is no scientific basis for separating it into separate vaccines.
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Source: Wired Science
