Pennsylvania health officials said Tuesday that the state has now recorded a total of four measles-associated deaths for the year after confirming additional deaths. One of the newest reported deaths includes an 18-year-old from Mifflin County whose cause of death was a “rare and severe neurological complication of measles,” according to a release from the coroner there.
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The state said that it has now confirmed 693 cases of measles in 38 counties in this year’s outbreak. The deaths this year include:
In 2026, the United States has reported the most measles cases in any year since 1991, surpassing last year’s record total.
The deaths come amid a bitter political feud between Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over the two Lancaster County deaths.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has excluded the two Lancaster County deaths reported by the state health department from its weekly updates of a national measles death tally. The decision, which former officials have described as highly unusual, came from Erica Schwartz, the agency’s new director, The Washington Post previously reported.
A CDC spokesperson said in a statement that the agency has been notified of the additional deaths.
“CDC remains in contact with state health officials as they continue to assess these deaths,” the agency’s statement said. “Pennsylvania has not requested a CDC Epi-Aid, which would deploy epidemiologists to provide on-the-ground measles outbreak support. Texas, South Carolina, Virginia, Kansas, New Mexico, and Wisconsin have requested Epi-Aids and worked alongside CDC teams to help bring their outbreaks under control. CDC remains ready to deploy an Epi-Aid to Pennsylvania as soon as the state requests one.”
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