Pennsylvania Logs Fourth Measles Death, Most Since 1992

Pennsylvania confirmed a fourth measles-associated death as its outbreak nears 700 cases, and the CDC still has not counted any of the state's deaths.

On Tuesday, Sept. 15, the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed two more measles-associated deaths, bringing the state total to four for 2026, all reported within roughly the last month and all in unvaccinated individuals. The newest deaths were a Jefferson County resident and a Mifflin County resident. According to the Inquirer, the Jefferson County victim was a 40-year-old woman with asthma and severe lung disease who died of respiratory failure after postmortem testing confirmed an active measles infection. Mifflin County Coroner Andrea Alcalde determined the 18-year-old victim died of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, a rare neurological complication in which a post-measles immune response inflames the brain and spinal cord.

For comparison, NBC News notes the entire U.S. recorded three measles deaths in all of 2025. The outbreak has now reached 693 confirmed cases across 38 counties with 133 hospitalizations, and fewer than 1% of cases were in vaccinated people, per the state health department figures cited by inkl.

Pennsylvania defines a measles-associated death as one occurring within 30 days of symptom onset in a person with clinical evidence of infection and a positive laboratory test, not due to unrelated causes. The Jefferson County coroner initially recorded 'suspected measles,' then updated the death certificate to 'probable measles' before postmortem testing came back positive. Lancaster County's earlier deaths were a newborn and a 6-week-old — both too young for the MMR vaccine, whose first dose comes around 12-15 months. The Lancaster coroner attributed only the 6-week-old's death directly to measles, noting the newborn died of a splenic rupture, though the Inquirer reports measles can enlarge the spleen and doctors say the virus remained the underlying cause.

None of Pennsylvania's four deaths appears in the CDC's official count. Reuters reporting cited by USA TODAY via Yahoo states HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asked for two Pennsylvania deaths to be removed from the national tally after CDC staffers had already accepted the state's characterization. Gov. Josh Shapiro accused Kennedy of personally intervening and of spreading vaccine misinformation; Kennedy denied suppressing deaths and said the CDC is applying a consistent national standard.

Pennsylvania's outbreak epicenter is Lancaster County with 296 cases; Mifflin County has 79 and Jefferson County 28, per the Inquirer. MMR vaccination rates for kindergartners have slipped in the affected counties — Mifflin fell from 92.3% to 89% in a year, Lancaster sits at 87.5%, below the roughly 95% community coverage scientists say is needed to stop spread. Dr. Paul Offit of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia told the Inquirer he believes the epidemic is 'severely underestimating' the true toll. ABC News adds that UPMC's Dr. John Goldman says many household cases go untested, so official counts likely miss infections.

Pennsylvania hospitals are ramping up aggressive screening of patients with rash, fever, cough and pink eye to prevent waiting-room spread, ABC News reports, while Chester County has run free MMR clinics and even at-home vaccinations. State workers have given nearly 4,300 MMR doses at 130 pop-up clinics, and providers statewide administered more than 46,000 doses in August versus about 25,000 in a typical month, per inkl. Vaccination interest has visibly risen: Pennsylvania health department data cited by ABC News shows August MMR doses jumped to about 3,500 from fewer than 1,000 monthly earlier in the year. The state hotline is 877-PA-HEALTH.