Key facts
- The US CDC confirmed one measles-related death in 2026.
- The US has recorded 3,471 measles cases this year as of September 17.
- Pennsylvania has confirmed 393 measles cases in 2026, with about 20% requiring hospitalization.
- None of the confirmed measles cases in Pennsylvania were in individuals who received both recommended MMR vaccine doses.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed one measles-related death in the country in 2026, according to the agency's website. The CDC noted that this figure is subject to change and will be updated as more information becomes available. As of September 17, the US had recorded 3,471 measles cases this year.
Pennsylvania has confirmed 393 measles cases in 2026 across 28 counties, with about half of those cases in Lancaster County. Roughly 20% of these cases required hospitalization. State health officials stated that none of the confirmed measles cases were in individuals who had received both recommended doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. One of the two reported deaths in Pennsylvania was an infant.
US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. offered federal assistance for the measles response, but Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro declined, stating the state could manage with its own resources. Shapiro also informed Kennedy that his past dissemination of vaccine misinformation was having repercussions.