Neither individual was vaccinated against the disease, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) reported Tuesday (Aug. 25). Their deaths mark the first measles fatalities in the state in 35 years.
Since the start of the year, there have been 393 confirmed cases of measles in Pennsylvania across 28 counties. Nationwide, 2,813 cases have been reported so far this year, according to the Johns Hopkins U.S. Measles Tracker. The 2026 nationwide total already exceeds the total number of measles cases reported in 2025, when 2,289 cases were reported, including over 240 hospitalizations and three deaths, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
The two deaths in Pennsylvania come as the nation's vaccination rate for measles continues to fall among kindergarteners and as the proportion of kindergarteners with vaccine exemptions is rising. The U.S. is likely to lose its "measles elimination status" later this year, which would mean the same outbreak strain had been consistently circulating in the country for over 12 months. Essentially, this suggests that although the U.S. officially eliminated measles in 2000, the disease is likely back in regular circulation.
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"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," Dr. Debra Bogen, Pennsylvania's secretary of health, said in the statement. "We want to ensure every Pennsylvanian has the information they need to protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities."
This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.
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