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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Two unvaccinated Pennsylvania residents have died from measles — the first U.S. measles deaths of 2026 and the first in the state in 35 years. The U.S. has now confirmed 2,777 cases across 46 states, the highest single-year count since the early 1990s. Falling vaccination rates and anti-vaccine messaging from federal officials are fueling the surge.
Two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, have died from measles, marking the first measles deaths in the U.S. in 2026 and the first in Pennsylvania in 35 years. The state has recorded 393 cases across 28 counties this year, with Lancaster County alone accounting for 185 of them. Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Debra Bogen noted that decades without measles have left many residents unaware of how serious the disease can be.
Nationally, the U.S. has confirmed 2,777 measles cases across 46 states — the highest single-year total since the 1989–1991 resurgence, which saw 55,000 infections and 123 deaths. Experts and public health officials point to declining vaccination rates and the promotion of a long-debunked vaccine-autism link by federal leadership, including an executive order from President Trump calling for a reduction in recommended childhood vaccines, as key drivers of the crisis.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Measles was largely eliminated in the U.S. over two decades ago, but eroding vaccine confidence — amplified by misinformation — is reversing that progress. Without urgent action to restore vaccination rates, public health experts warn that deadly outbreaks will continue to grow.
