Two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, died from measles, state health authorities announced Tuesday, August 26, 2026. These deaths constitute the first recorded in this region for 35 years, according to the local Ministry of Health, which invoked medical confidentiality not to disclose further information about the victims.
The epidemic is progressing at high speed. Since January 1, 2026, 393 cases of measles have been reported in 28 counties in Pennsylvania, an unprecedented figure since the near-total eradication of the disease in the early 2000s. Health services note an alarming concentration in Amish communities, where vaccination rates remain structurally low.
Pennsylvania is not the only one affected. Texas, Ohio and several Midwestern states are facing active outbreaks, with hundreds of contaminations confirmed since the start of the year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded more than 1,200 cases nationwide, the highest toll since 2019.
Ninety percent of those infected had not received any dose of MMR vaccine. This proportion, stable since January, highlights the weight of vaccine distrust in the spread of the virus. The authorities also point to the active circulation of measles in around ten European countries, a source of regular imports onto American soil.
Lancaster County, the epicenter of the crisis, is home to one of the largest Amish populations in the country. Health officials have been carrying out targeted vaccination campaigns since March 2026, but the coverage rate plateaus at around 50% among children under five, far from the 95% threshold recommended to block transmission.
The Pennsylvania Minister of Health made a solemn appeal to residents. Anyone with a fever, rash and cough should isolate themselves immediately and contact a doctor before traveling, he insisted during a press conference in Harrisburg. Hospitals across the state were placed on alert and pediatric intensive care units were reinforced.
Washington is observing the situation closely. The Secretary of Health confirmed the mobilization of $50 million to finance vaccination campaigns in the most exposed states. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a controversial figure in the anti-vaccine movement, however, avoided any public statement on the Pennsylvania deaths, fueling criticism from American pediatricians.
A crisis meeting is planned for Friday August 29, 2026 between the CDC, the health directors of ten states and representatives of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The agenda will focus on expanding school vaccination obligations and the deployment of mobile clinics in rural areas, said the CDC spokesperson.
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