Pennsylvania reported that two unvaccinated residents in Lancaster County died of measles, marking the state’s first measles-related deaths in 35 years; the Pennsylvania Health Department announced the fatalities on August 25, 2026. Last update: August 29, 2026.
The development matters because it comes amid a nationwide resurgence of measles, with public health officials linking the fatalities and the local outbreak to declining MMR vaccination coverage and substantial case counts across the country. Health authorities emphasized the vulnerability of infants and unvaccinated adults while investigators examined medical and forensic details surrounding the deaths.
Coroner investigation and medical findings in Lancaster County
The Lancaster County Coroner‘s Office investigated one of the deaths and reported that the infant died from an internal hemorrhage and a traumatic rupture of the spleen, with evidence of the measles virus found in lung tissue, according to officials involved in the inquiry. Coroner Stephen Diamantoni said he did not find evidence that the spleen was enlarged—an expected finding in some measles complications—while the Pennsylvania Health Department characterized the infant’s death as measles-associated based on laboratory or epidemiologic evidence.
State health officials identified both victims as unvaccinated but did not disclose the ages of both individuals beyond the infant. Debra Bogen the state Health Secretary nominated in 2026 by Governor Josh Shapiro backed the department’s classification of the deaths as measles-associated and highlighted the department’s pediatric expertise in making determinations about cause.
Outbreak numbers, hospitalizations and case trends
The Pennsylvania Health Department updated its counts as part of the ongoing response: this year the state had confirmed 424 measles cases, with 94 diagnosed in the most recent week reported by the department. Across the United States, public health authorities reported a total of 2,777 measles cases this year, the highest national count since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000.
Health officials noted that 73 people in Pennsylvania had been hospitalized for measles complications so far in the outbreak, and that national reporting showed 494 cases in one referenced dataset used by experts to discuss case-severity comparisons. Experts cautioned that raw numbers likely underrepresent the full burden of disease and that historic measles fatality rates—typically about one to two deaths per 1,000 cases—remain a point of reference.
Vaccination coverage, vulnerable groups and expert commentary
Public health data show that MMR coverage has fallen in recent years in parts of the state: the share of children receiving the MMR vaccine dropped from 95.5% in 2017 to 87.6% last year, a decline officials said has reduced herd immunity. In Lancaster County which includes the nation’s largest Amish settlement, local estimates cited low vaccination uptake, contributing to sustained transmission in the community.
Experts cited include Peter Hotez dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine who has highlighted that infants between 6 and 11 months are particularly vulnerable as maternal antibodies wane before the routine first MMR dose at 12 to 15 months. Dr. Paul Offit director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children‘s Hospital of Philadelphia has noted the outbreak’s severity and discussed how observed deaths compare to historical expectations.
National implications and international review
Officials warned that the U.S. case surge could prompt international review: the Pan American Health Organization was expected to decide in November whether the United States has lost its measles elimination status. State and national authorities continued to urge vaccination, surveillance and targeted outreach in affected communities to limit further spread.
Public health agencies signaled that the situation remained fluid and that further case updates, hospitalizations and investigative findings could change as more laboratory results and epidemiologic data were finalized. Last update: August 29, 2026.
