The Pennsylvania health department confirmed on Tuesday that two individuals have died after contracting measles, marking the first measles-related deaths in the United States this year. The deaths occurred in Lancaster County, which has a significant Amish population, and both individuals were unvaccinated. As of now, Pennsylvania has reported 393 measles cases in 2026, with approximately half of those cases in Lancaster County. Utah and South Carolina have reported more cases than Pennsylvania this year.
Governor Josh Shapiro described measles as a "serious and growing problem" in a press conference, emphasizing that illness and death from measles are preventable. He noted that nearly 20 percent of those infected in Pennsylvania have been hospitalized, and the virus can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been nearly 2,800 measles cases nationwide this year, an increase from 2,289 cases in 2025 and significantly higher than the 285 cases reported in 2023. Declining vaccination rates are contributing to the outbreaks, with new CDC data indicating a decrease in vaccination coverage among kindergartners. The percentage of parents seeking nonmedical exemptions for vaccines has risen from 3.6 percent to 4.2 percent.
Shapiro attributed the rise in cases partly to misinformation about vaccinations. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is reported to be 97 percent effective against measles when both doses are administered, with serious side effects being rare.
In response to the outbreak, the Pennsylvania health department has conducted 91 pop-up vaccination clinics and administered over 4,100 vaccines this year, with about a quarter of those in Lancaster County. Shapiro also noted that measles cases have been traced to 28 counties throughout Pennsylvania, indicating that the issue is not confined to a single community.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently commented on the outbreaks, suggesting they are primarily occurring in religious communities that do not vaccinate. However, Shapiro clarified that he does not agree with Kennedy's views and declined an offer for assistance from him.
In light of the rising measles cases, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to separate the combined MMR vaccine into individual vaccines, which could complicate the vaccination process. Over 210 medical organizations and patient groups have expressed concerns that this move could leave children less protected and create confusion among families, as the MMR vaccine has been administered as a single injection since 1971 without scientific justification for separating it.