Two unvaccinated people die of measles in Pennsylvania

25 August 2026, 15: 42 BST. Updated 2 hours ago.

Key points

• The US has seen 2, 777 confirmed cases of measles in 2026, just seven months into the year, up from last year's high of 2, 289.
• Last year, two unvaccinated children in Texas died from a measles outbreak that infected over 1, 000 individuals, primarily children.
• "This is a serious and a growing problem across our country and in our commonwealth, " Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro remarked in a news conference on Tuesday.
• As infections throughout the US have hit the highest point in 35 years, the state has seen 393 cases of the highly contagious virus this year.
• Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that calls for fewer childhood vaccinations and recommends splitting the MMR vaccine into three separate shots.

Two individuals who were not vaccinated against measles have died of the virus in Pennsylvania, health office-holders noted.

Eighty-five percent of kindergarten-age students in Lancaster County, where the recent deaths occurred, are vaccinated against measles – well below the 95% rate needed for herd immunity to limit the spread and protect immunocompromised individuals.

"This is a serious and a growing problem across our country and in our commonwealth, " Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro remarked in a news conference on Tuesday. "This illness and death from measles is completely preventable."

He continued that the mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) vaccine was the best tool to protect against illness and death.

Authorities stated they would not share any extra information on the identities of those who died, including if they were children. This person have face a higher risk of death and complications from measles.

Meanwhile, the US has seen 2, 777 confirmed cases of measles in 2026, just seven months into the year, up from last year's high of 2, 289.

Notably, the rising number of cases comes as vaccine hesitancy in the US has rose over recent years, leading to lower immunisation rates. The US recommends two shots to children between ages one and six. It is 97% effective in protecting against the illness.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that calls for fewer childhood vaccinations and recommends splitting the MMR vaccine into three separate shots. Public health experts worry the order will cause confusion regarding an already safe and effective vaccine and prove costly.

For context, the executive order came after Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr took a number of steps to remake US vaccine policies over the past year, including the childhood vaccination schedule. Plenty of of the changes were blocked by a federal judge earlier this year.

In practice, a vaccine skeptic, Kennedy has shared mixed messaging on the MMR vaccine, at times endorsing it and other times sharing unproven claims regarding its safety.

Speaking on Tuesday, Shapiro remarked he spoke with Kennedy over the phone that morning and that he had offered to send staff from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Shapiro remarked he was "very blunt" with Kennedy concerning vaccinations.

"I made very clear that his actions and the rhetoric that's coming from this administration are having a negative impact on communities across America. That there's real life consequences to spreading misinformation, " Shapiro remarked.

In practice, the US is on track to lose its status of having eliminated measles. It will be determined by a panel in November. Canada lost its status last year.

For now, two unvaccinated people die of measles in Pennsylvania remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.