CDC reports first measles death amid confusion over Pennsylvania cases - NBC News

The CDC acknowledged on September 23, 2026, that one measles death has occurred so far this year, updating its outbreak page while noting the figure "is subject to change," but provided no details about who died or where.
The agency had previously declined to recognize four measles-associated deaths reported by the Pennsylvania Health Department over the prior month, and it would not confirm whether the death it cited occurred in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania's reported deaths included two babies—one a newborn whose mother had measles during pregnancy—a 40-year-old woman with asthma and severe lung disease, and an 18-year-old who developed a rare neurological condition affecting the brain and spinal cord.
Discrepancies stem from differing definitions: Pennsylvania counts a death as measles-associated if it occurs within 30 days of symptoms and a positive test, while the CDC is working with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists to develop a standardized case definition.
As of Wednesday, the CDC had confirmed 3,471 measles cases across 45 states and Washington, D.C., this year, with more than 300 hospitalizations; three people died of measles in 2025, deaths the agency acknowledged at the time.
Pennsylvania's case count has risen to 835, including 111 in the past week, with two-thirds of cases in adults and 164 people hospitalized statewide, while nearly all those diagnosed were unvaccinated.