Why Two Measles Deaths in Pennsylvania Are Being Reviewed

On August 25, 2026 the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed two measles-associated deaths in Lancaster County. The state described the cases as 'measles-associated' when laboratory or epidemiologic evidence of measles is present, even if a medical certifier does not list measles as the immediate cause of death. Pennsylvania also reported 497 confirmed measles cases as the outbreak expanded across the state. The state said these were the first measles-associated deaths in the commonwealth in 35 years.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not include the two deaths in its weekly national update while it reviewed additional information. New CDC director Erica Schwartz asked federal staff to examine the circumstances before the deaths were counted in the national total. The agency noted that available information did not establish whether measles caused or contributed to the deaths and said it would update the national count when more data were available.

The announcement touched off an intense public dispute between Governor Josh Shapiro and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as officials traded sharp statements while communities sought care. Public health workers have continued vaccination drives and patient care, since two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97 percent effective at preventing measles. The Lancaster County coroner, Stephen Diamantoni, said a pathologist found a ruptured spleen in the newborn, which he described as the primary cause of death. Some experts have warned that falling vaccination rates are increasing the risk of serious cases. If medical certifiers later determine that measles directly contributed to either death, the official tallies will be revised and public communications may change to reflect that finding.