Two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, have died of measles, the state health department confirmed Tuesday, marking the first measles-related deaths in the United States this year and the first in the state in 35 years.
Pennsylvania has recorded 393 confirmed measles cases in 2026, with 86 diagnosed in the past week alone and 70 people hospitalized for complications. Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 2,777 cases, the highest annual tally in 35 years. The US is on track to lose its measles elimination status, with a determination expected in November.
Vaccination rates have declined in the outbreak's epicenter: MMR coverage among kindergartners in Lancaster County fell from 95.5% in 2017 to 87.6% in 2025. Nationally, 4.2% of kindergartners held at least one vaccine exemption during the 2025-26 school year. The surge follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump calling for fewer childhood vaccinations and splitting the MMR vaccine into separate shots. Three people died of measles in the US last year, including two unvaccinated children in Texas.