Two Unvaccinated Pennsylvania Residents Die as US Measles Cases Surge

Two unvaccinated residents in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, have died from measles, marking the first U.S. fatal cases of the virus in 2026 as nationwide infections continue to rise. The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported the deaths as the state's first fatalities from measles in 35 years.

Data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 211 new measles cases this week, raising the total nationwide count of laboratory-confirmed cases to 2,777 across 45 states and two jurisdictions. The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy noted that this weekly surge is more than double the previous week's increase.

Federal health authorities reported that 36 distinct outbreaks have emerged in 2026, marking the highest annual infection tally in the United States since 1991. The surge builds on momentum from 2025, which saw 2,289 confirmed cases nationwide. South Carolina leads the country with 670 confirmed infections this year, followed by Utah with 526 and Pennsylvania with 393.

Age breakdowns from public health agencies show that 19 percent of all 2026 cases occurred in children under 5 years old, while 47 percent affected youths aged 5 to 19. Adults aged 20 and older accounted for 34 percent of the cases. Across all demographics, 94 percent of infected individuals were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination statuses.

Public health reports highlight that kindergarten MMR vaccination rates dropped nationwide to 92.4 percent in the 2025–2026 school year, falling below the 95 percent threshold required for community immunity and leaving roughly 280,000 students at risk.

Media coverage noted the recent resurgence of the disease relative to historical benchmarks.

"Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but more cases have been reported over the past 18 months than in the previous 25 years combined," said WBAL TV in Baltimore.

Regional tracking shows varying transmission rates, with Pennsylvania adding 89 new cases and Ohio adding 73 this week, while states like Utah, Washington, and Arizona recorded no new cases during the same period.

"Utah, the state with the largest active measles outbreak, had no new cases, keeping its 2026 total at 518. The CDC measles map, however, lists 526 cases for Utah. Last year Utah recorded 197 cases," said CIDRAP.

Several other states also maintained stable caseloads during the recent reporting cycle.

"Likewise, Washington state had no new infections (55 total), and neither did Arizona, whose total remains at 122. Virginia also held steady, at 177 cases," added CIDRAP.

The agency emphasized the role of community protection in preventing widespread local transmission.

"is very safe and effective. When more than 95% of people in a community are vaccinated, most people are protected through community immunity (herd immunity). However, vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergartners has decreased from 95.2% during the 2019–2020 school year to 92.4% in the 2025–2026 school year, leaving approximately 280,000 kindergartners at risk during the 2025–2026 school year," said the CDC.

Federal officials warned that localized clusters of unvaccinated individuals increase vulnerability to community outbreaks.

"At local levels, vaccine coverage rates may vary considerably, and pockets of unvaccinated people can exist in states with high vaccination coverage. When measles gets into communities of unvaccinated people in the United States, outbreaks can occur," said the CDC.

Symptoms of measles typically begin with a high fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit, accompanied by a cough, runny nose, and watery eyes, followed days later by a distinctive red rash. The CDC cautions that infected individuals are contagious four days before the rash appears until four days after, presenting ongoing transmission risks.