The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that a resident of Lancaster County tested positive for measles and has died.
This is the fifth Pennsylvanian who meets the measles-associated death definition as the number of confirmed measles cases stands at 943 across 39 counties so far in 2026. The death will be added to DOH’s measles dashboard.
To protect the privacy of the individual and their family, DOH will not release any additional details that could personally identify them. DOH is bound by laws that limit what can be shared publicly, and families deserve the dignity to mourn in private. DOH continues to lead Pennsylvania’s robust response to the ongoing measles outbreak and is making the most up-to-date information on cases, hospitalizations, and deaths available on its measles dashboard.
While daily numbers fluctuate, tracking these trends provides Pennsylvanians and health care providers with visibility into community transmission across the Commonwealth and helps inform DOH’s ongoing response.
Key updates include:
- New Positive Cases (since September 28, 2026): 40
- Total Counties: 39
- Total Cumulative Cases: 943
- Total Hospitalizations: 176
- Total Confirmed Measles-Associated Deaths: 5
- Measles cases among vaccinated individuals: 4 (less than 1% of cases)
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus that can cause serious short- and long-term health problems including pneumonia and brain swelling, with nearly 20 percent of people identified by DOH with measles being hospitalized. Death from measles, though rare, occurs in one to three patients per 1,000 cases.
Measles spreads when a person who is infected breathes, coughs, or sneezes. The virus remains infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after the person with the infection leaves the area.
Symptoms begin with fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis), followed a few days later by a rash that starts on the head and spreads downward. Without proper protection or supportive care, measles can be deadly. Symptoms can start 7 to 21 days after exposure. People are typically contagious 4 days before and 4 days after rash onset.
