Pennsylvania: The United States has reported two additional measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, bringing the total number of deaths linked to the disease to 10 this year, with a growing outbreak across the country.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services confirmed the death of an infant, while the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported that its latest victim was an unvaccinated individual who had tested positive for measles.
Pennsylvania has recorded seven measles-associated deaths this year, while Wisconsin has reported two. New York state also confirmed the death of a child on November 2, marking its first measles-related fatality in more than three decades.
According to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Johns Hopkins University International Vaccine Access Center tracker, the country has recorded more than 5,400 confirmed measles cases so far in 2026. This represents more than double the 2,289 cases reported throughout 2025.
The CDC’s official figures list six measles-related deaths, highlighting a discrepancy between federal and state health authorities over how fatalities associated with the disease should be classified.
Dispute over measles-related deaths
The difference in reported death tolls has sparked disagreements between federal health officials and state authorities. US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr reportedly asked CDC Director Erica Schwartz not to include certain deaths in the official national tally, arguing that there was insufficient evidence to establish a link to measles.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has also been involved in the dispute over the classification of measles-related fatalities. Pennsylvania follows a definition under which a death is considered measles-associated if an individual with confirmed measles dies within 30 days of developing symptoms, unless the death is attributed to an unrelated cause.
The CDC is working with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists to establish a standardised definition for reporting measles deaths. Infectious disease experts have raised concerns that differences in classification could affect the accuracy of national reporting and public understanding of the outbreak.
US measles elimination status at risk
The rising number of infections has raised concerns about the country’s measles elimination status. The United States officially declared measles eliminated in 2000, following the interruption of continuous domestic transmission.
However, declining childhood vaccination coverage and continued outbreaks are putting that achievement at risk. Vaccination coverage among US kindergarteners fell from 95.2 percent during the 2019–2020 school year to 92.4 percent in the 2025–2026 school year, according to available data.
Pennsylvania had recorded 1,542 confirmed measles cases in 2026, while Wisconsin reported 651 cases, making both states significant contributors to the ongoing outbreak.
Health authorities continue to encourage vaccination as the most effective way to prevent the spread of the disease. The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine provides approximately 97 percent protection against measles after two doses.
The United States could lose its measles elimination status this week if sustained transmission continues to meet the criteria for the loss of elimination. The designation requires a country to maintain the interruption of continuous measles transmission for at least 12 months.
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