Pennsylvania has reported another measles death as the United States suffers the worst outbreak of the disease in nearly four decades.
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According to The New York Post, the Pennsylvania Department of Health disclosed the measles-associated death on Sept. 30. The organization added that the victim was from Lancaster County and unvaccinated.
Dr. Stephen Diamantoni, Lancaster County's coroner, told The Post that he didn't handle the measles-related death, with the state keeping details of the individual private.
This 5th measles victim joins four previous deaths related to the disease in Pennsylvania. In the southeastern part of the state, two infants passed away from measles-related ailments, with a 40-year-old woman also suffering from the disease passing in Jefferson County and an 18-year-old in Mifflin County also dying from the disease.
According to The Post, none of the victims were vaccinated. However, the outlet pointed out that the two infants were too young to be vaccinated under current medical guidelines.
The deaths in Pennsylvania bring the total number of reported measles-associated deaths up to 8 in just two years. This is reportedly more than the United States has seen in more than 30 years.
943 Measles Cases Have Been Reported in Pennsylvania in 2026
Meanwhile, measles cases are surging in Pennsylvania. In 2026, 943 cases have been reported in 39 of the state's counties.
Of course, measles was essentially eradicated in the United States by the year 2000 due to high vaccination rates. However, The Post points out that vaccination rates in the United States have dropped below 95%, the percentage needed to keep the disease at bay. This possibly left the window open for the current measles surge.
"Because measles was largely eliminated in the Commonwealth for more than three decades, people are not familiar with this disease and don't fully understand the potential severity of the illness," said Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen in a statement last month. "As a physician, I want to make sure that people understand that the MMR vaccine is safe and provides the best protection we have against measles."
In August, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reduce the number of required vaccinations for children. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy also supported the measure.
Next month, international health officials are set to determine whether the U.S. and Mexico will keep their measles-free designations.
