Pennsylvania Reports Four Measles-Associated Deaths

Pennsylvania has reported four measles-associated deaths in 2026, including two adults and two Lancaster County infants, amid the state’s worst outbreak in more than three decades. The latest death was an unvaccinated 18-year-old from Mifflin County who developed acute disseminated encephalomyelitis; the other adult victim was an unvaccinated 40-year-old Jefferson County woman with chronic lung conditions. The state has confirmed 693 cases across 38 counties, with Lancaster County reporting more than 200 cases and nearly one-fifth of patients requiring hospitalization. Health officials say none of the four victims was vaccinated and are urging residents to verify their immunity and receive the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Nationally, the United States has recorded 3,294 confirmed cases in 2026, surpassing the total for all of 2025 amid declining kindergarten vaccination coverage and rising exemptions.