Deadly measles outbreak hits Northeast as state records first deaths in 35 years

Pennsylvania confirmed two measles-related deaths on Tuesday, according to the state’s department of health.

This marks the first losses related to the highly contagious virus within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 35 years.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) confirmed that both Lancaster County individuals were unvaccinated, noting that the best way to prevent measles infection is to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

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The MMR vaccine administered over two doses can boost a person’s immune system and provide 97% lifetime protection, according to health officials.

In a press release, Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen shared her "deepest sympathies" with the "loved ones who are facing this unimaginable loss."

"Because measles was largely eliminated in the Commonwealth for more than three decades, people are not familiar with this disease and don’t fully understand the potential severity of the illness," she said in the statement. "We want to ensure that every Pennsylvanian has the information they need to protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities."

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"As a physician, I want to make sure that people understand the MMR vaccine is safe and provides the best protection we have against measles."

The state's DOH has confirmed 393 cases of measles in 28 counties so far in 2026.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that can be fatal in one to three patients per 1,000 cases, data shows.

The virus can cause long-term health problems, including pneumonia and brain swelling. Nearly 20% of individuals who contract measles are hospitalized.

Measles spreads when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes, spreading the virus through respiratory droplets. It can remain infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after the person leaves the area, experts caution.

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Early measles symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. A measles rash follows a few days later, starting on the head and spreading down to the rest of the body.

Symptoms can start seven to 21 days after exposure. Those who believe they were exposed to measles should contact a healthcare provider.

Dr. Jesse Goodman, former FDA chief scientist in Washington, D.C., spoke with Fox News Digital about the MMR vaccine, calling it "extremely safe and highly effective."

"The vaccine prevents millions of measles deaths worldwide annually, including hundreds that used to occur in the U.S.," he said. "There is no evidence that MMR vaccine causes any chronic illnesses, including autism."

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Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, Maryland, agreed that Pennsylvania's 35-year streak without a measles-related death "wasn't luck."

"It was the vaccine working so completely that an entire generation of parents grew up never seeing what this virus does to a child’s lungs or brain," he told Fox News Digital. "That protection is increasingly not valued, and this is the predictable result when the population turns their back on a life-saving technology."

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, previously emphasized the highly contagious nature of measles amid elevated case counts across the U.S.

"Measles is so contagious that up to 90% of susceptible people who are exposed to an infected person will become infected," he told Fox News Digital, stressing the importance of community protection. "We need a 95% vaccine coverage rate to ensure herd immunity," he said.

The herd immunity threshold is a mathematical estimate based on how contagious a disease is and how effectively immunity from vaccination or prior infection prevents its spread, according to Siegel.

"In this case, two-dose vaccination is almost 100% effective, and natural immunity after a measles infection is generally lifelong," the doctor said. "This isn’t about personal choice, it’s about community protection. We need to protect those who can’t have a live virus vaccine because they are immunocompromised or pregnant."