US Measles Deaths Reach 10 in 2026 as Pennsylvania and Wisconsin Report Two More

Two more measles-associated deaths reported in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin on Friday have pushed the United States' 2026 measles death toll to 10, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still lists only six. The new deaths, an infant in Wisconsin and an unvaccinated patient in Pennsylvania, come in the worst US measles year in over 30 years, and in the same week the country lost the measles-free status it had held since 2000.

Key Points

• Pennsylvania and Wisconsin each reported one more measles-associated death on Friday, November 13, 2026, bringing the 2026 US total to 10.
• Pennsylvania has recorded seven measles-associated deaths this year, Wisconsin two, and New York one.
• The CDC still lists only six: it uses verified mortality data, while states count deaths within 30 days of symptoms.
• The US has recorded 5,412 confirmed cases in 2026 as of November 12, more than double the 2,289 in 2025.
• The Pan American Health Organization revoked US measles-elimination status on November 13 after 12 months of uninterrupted spread.

What Happened

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported on Friday that an infant had died in Grant County, where more than a third of Wisconsin's 651 measles cases this year have been recorded. The department declined to share further details, citing family privacy. It was Wisconsin's second death of 2026; the first, also an infant, was announced November 5, the state's first measles death in over 35 years.

Pennsylvania said its latest death was an unvaccinated Montour County resident who had tested positive for measles. The state has now recorded seven measles-associated deaths in 2026, and 1,542 confirmed cases, the most of any state.

The tenth death is the child New York announced on November 2, the state's first recorded measles death in more than 30 years. The three states account for every measles-associated death reported in the US this year.

Background: The Worst US Measles Outbreak Since 1991

The deaths are the grimmest marker of an outbreak that has produced 5,412 confirmed cases in the US in 2026, per CDC figures as of November 12 — more than double the 2,289 in all of 2025, with federal figures up by more than 100 cases for 14 straight weeks.

The outbreak has also cost the US the elimination status it won in 2000. PAHO revoked it on November 13, after the same strain, D8-9171, circulated without interruption for more than 12 months. Read our report on the US losing its measles-free status after 26 years.

Falling vaccination coverage has helped the virus spread. The share of US kindergarteners vaccinated against measles has dropped from 95.2 percent in 2019-2020 to 92.4 percent in 2025-2026, below the roughly 95 percent needed to stop the virus circulating. The MMR vaccine offers about 97 percent protection after two doses. US measles cases hit 5,412 as the CDC reported its sixth death.

US Measles Deaths in 2026: Why the CDC Count Is Lower

The gap between the state toll of 10 and the CDC's six comes down to how a measles death is defined. Pennsylvania reports a death as measles-associated when a person with confirmed measles dies within 30 days of symptoms, unless the death resulted from an unrelated event.

The CDC counts deaths from verified mortality data, a slower process that can leave recent deaths off its tally for weeks. The agency says its total is subject to change and is working with state epidemiologists on a standardised definition. The CDC confirmed six measles deaths in 2026, double the three recorded in all of 2025.

The dispute has become political. Al Jazeera reported that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asked CDC director Erica Schwartz not to count the deaths in the official tally, claiming no evidence they were measles-associated. The count is at the centre of a dispute between Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Kennedy, and experts told Al Jazeera that tracking measles-associated deaths has long been a standard used by the World Health Organization and the CDC.

Reactions

State officials have stood by their counts while declining to release identifying details. Wisconsin said only that the infant died in Grant County, citing family privacy. Pennsylvania likewise reported the Montour County death without naming the patient, beyond confirming the person was unvaccinated and tested positive.

Public health experts were blunt. Epidemiologists told Al Jazeera the measles-associated definition is the same one the World Health Organization and the CDC itself have long used, and warned abandoning it would make it harder to measure what the outbreak is doing. The CDC has not disputed the states' figures.

Why It Matters

Ten deaths in one year is stark for a disease the US declared eliminated 25 years ago. The CDC's count of six in 2026 is already double the three it recorded in all of 2025, and the state-reported 10 is more than three times last year's figure. The victims include infants and a child, and measles can cause pneumonia, brain swelling and lasting immune damage even in survivors.

The loss of elimination status shows this is not isolated clusters. PAHO revoked it because the virus has transmitted without a break for over a year, and Canada, Spain and the UK have recently lost their own status. With kindergarten coverage below the threshold for community protection, officials warn the virus has room to keep spreading.

What Happens Next

The next test comes with the CDC's weekly update, showing whether triple-digit weekly case increases continue into a 15th week. Health departments in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are continuing vaccination drives in the hardest-hit counties, urging parents to check children have had both MMR doses before winter.

Attention will also stay on the counting dispute. The CDC's work with state epidemiologists on a standardised definition continues, and any change could move the official toll closer to the state-reported 10. Either way, the deaths are already part of the record, and the outbreak shows no sign of ending soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people have died of measles in the US in 2026?

State health departments have reported 10: seven in Pennsylvania, two in Wisconsin and one in New York. The CDC's official count still lists six, because it uses verified mortality data.

Why does the CDC count differ from the states?

States count a death as measles-associated when a person with confirmed measles dies within 30 days of symptoms. The CDC uses verified mortality records, which take longer, and says its total is subject to change.

Which state has the most measles cases in 2026?

Pennsylvania, with 1,542 confirmed cases, the most of any state. Wisconsin has recorded 651 cases, with more than a third in Grant County.

How many measles cases has the US had in 2026?

The CDC reported 5,412 confirmed cases as of November 12, 2026, more than double the 2,289 cases recorded in all of 2025.

Is the measles vaccine effective?

Yes. The MMR vaccine offers about 97 percent protection after two doses, the best protection against one of the most contagious viruses known.