Key facts
- Pennsylvania has reported its fifth measles-associated death in 2026.
- An unvaccinated individual in Lancaster County died from measles.
- As of September 30, Pennsylvania has confirmed 943 measles cases across 39 counties.
- The state previously confirmed two measles-associated deaths in Lancaster County on August 25.
- A third measles-associated death involved an unvaccinated 40-year-old woman in Jefferson County who died on September 12.
- A fourth measles-associated death occurred in Mifflin County on September 15, involving an unvaccinated 18-year-old.
Pennsylvania health officials reported on Wednesday the state's fifth measles-associated death this year, as the outbreak continues to spread. An unvaccinated individual in Lancaster County has died after contracting measles, according to state health officials.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed 943 measles cases across 39 counties in 2026. The state had previously confirmed two measles-associated deaths in Lancaster County on August 25, marking the first such deaths in 35 years. A third measles-associated death involved an unvaccinated 40-year-old woman in Jefferson County who died on September 12 during the state’s largest measles outbreak in more than three decades. Laboratory testing detected the virus in a specimen collected from the woman, and state officials later classified her death as measles-associated. A fourth measles-associated death occurred in Mifflin County on September 15, involving an unvaccinated 18-year-old who died from acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, a rare neurological complication linked to measles.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes, and the virus can remain infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours. Early symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, followed by a rash. Symptoms can appear seven to 21 days after exposure. Vaccination remains central to prevention, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting 3,294 confirmed U.S. measles cases for 2026 as of September 10, reported by 47 jurisdictions. National data show declining MMR vaccination coverage among kindergarten students, falling to 92.4% during the 2025-2026 school year.