Pennsylvania Confirms Sixth Measles Death as Nation's Largest Outbreak in Decades Reaches 1,467 Cases

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania health officials confirmed a sixth measles-associated death on Wednesday as the state's outbreak, the largest in the United States in recent memory, continued to spread.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed that an unvaccinated resident of Jefferson County tested positive for measles and has died. No other identifying information about the patient was made public.

The death was reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and added to the state's measles dashboard.

Outbreak keeps growing

According to the state's dashboard, Pennsylvania has recorded 1,467 measles cases this year, an increase of 77 over the last seven days. Cases have now spread into 45 counties.

Nearly all patients were unvaccinated. Only five patients, less than 1% of all cases, had been vaccinated against measles.

The deaths represent a grim milestone. The first two, reported in August, were Pennsylvania's first measles-related deaths in 35 years.

Franklin County case still under review

Questions remain about a separate death reported last month. The Franklin County coroner reported in October that a 39-year-old woman died after a recent measles diagnosis.

The state has not confirmed that case. A health department spokesperson said its investigation "has not yet found any Franklin County cases meeting the required criteria" to be confirmed as a measles-associated death.

National picture

The latest death brings the nation's total to seven measles-associated deaths this year, including six in Pennsylvania and one in New York. New York recently reported its first known measles-associated death in more than 30 years, a child in Lewis County.

As of Oct. 29, there had been 4,852 confirmed measles cases in the U.S. this year, making 2026 the worst year for measles since the early 1990s.

At least 96% of U.S. cases this year have been among people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.

Prevention and symptoms

Health officials continue to urge vaccination. The MMR vaccine provides 97% lifetime protection after two doses, according to the Department of Health. Infants aged 6 to 11 months living in or traveling to high-risk outbreak areas may receive an early dose.

Early symptoms include cough, runny nose, fever as high as 104 degrees and red, watery eyes, according to the CDC, followed three to five days later by a rash that starts on the face.

Although rare, death from measles occurs in one to three patients per 1,000 cases.