Pennsylvania reports fifth measles-related death of the year amid outbreak

Pennsylvania has reported its fifth measles-associated death of 2026 as the state’s ongoing outbreak climbs to 943 confirmed cases across 39 counties.

The Pennsylvania department of health said on Wednesday that an unvaccinated Lancaster county resident who tested positive for measles had died. Health officials did not release further information about the individual, citing privacy protections.

The death marks the fifth Pennsylvania resident to meet the state’s definition of a measles-associated death this year after a fourth death two weeks ago. Due to how the Trump administration has changed its method for reporting measles deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not counted the Pennsylvania measles deaths in its national tally .

As of Monday 28 September, Pennsylvania had recorded 40 new positive cases. The outbreak has now reached 39 counties, with 943 cumulative confirmed cases, 176 hospitalizations and five confirmed measles-associated deaths.

Only four of those confirmed cases have involved vaccinated individuals, representing less than 1% of the state’s total cases.

Health officials say daily totals can change, but monitoring the numbers gives residents and healthcare providers a clearer picture of community transmission across Pennsylvania and helps guide the state’s response.

Agricultural communities in Lancaster and Mifflin counties have remained at the center of Pennsylvania’s outbreak. Utah, Florida, Virginia and Texas have also reported dozens of cases, according to tracking from Johns Hopkins University.

Since the outbreak began in late April, staff at state health centers have administered more than 5,500 measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) vaccinations through 180 pop-up vaccination clinics in affected communities, according to a statement released on Wednesday.

Dozens of additional vaccination clinics are planned for the coming weeks and months, depending on community interest and need, the statement added.

More than 3,600 measles cases have been reported across the US in 2026, according to the CDC. The US eliminated measles in 2000, though it is unclear whether it can retain that status amid the recent outbreaks.

Measles is considered one of the most contagious diseases known to medicine. The MMR vaccine prevents 97% of measles cases.

Vaccination rates among kindergarten-aged children, which are considered an important indicator, have slowly declined as experts argue the Trump administration is promoting confusion and misinformation about vaccines among parents.

Earlier this month, Pennsylvania requested emergency assistance from the CDC in response to the measles outbreak, but warned that the request could be withdrawn unless the federal agency publicly recognized the measles-associated deaths reported by the state.

The dispute began after Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary and former head of an anti-vaccine advocacy group, publicly questioned whether the deaths linked to the measles outbreaks since he took office were caused by the virus or by another condition.

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