US Records 4 Measles Deaths for First Time Since 1992 as Cases Hit 1991 High
Updated
Updated · CNN · Sep 15
US Records 4 Measles Deaths for First Time Since 1992 as Cases Hit 1991 High
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Sep 15
Summary
A fourth measles death in Pennsylvania has pushed the United States to four deaths in 2026, the first year to reach that toll since 1992.
693 Pennsylvania cases, 133 hospitalizations and all four deaths underscore a broader surge that had already made 2026 the worst US measles year since 1991 by July.
Experts said the virus does not appear more lethal; they tied the deaths to more infections, falling vaccination rates and, in several Pennsylvania cases, severe underlying health risks in unvaccinated patients.
97% vaccine protection remains the main defense against a disease that can infect 9 in 10 unvaccinated contacts and trigger complications including brain inflammation, blindness and fatal illness years later.
Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, but renewed outbreaks mean that status will be reassessed in November.