Pennsylvania authorities reported a fourth measles-associated death on Sept. 15, 2026. The most recent decedent was an 18-year-old resident of Mifflin County. The county coroner’s office reported the cause of death as acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), identified in the source as a rare and severe neurological complication of measles.
ADEM is described in the report as a serious neurologic outcome linked to measles infection; the article does not provide additional clinical details about the patient’s presentation, hospitalization course, or timing of neurologic decline.
The STAT News republished Associated Press account notes three earlier measles-associated deaths in the state during the same outbreak period. A 40-year-old woman from Jefferson County, a rural area in western Pennsylvania, died of measles complications and was reported on the preceding Saturday. In addition, two infants infected with measles died last month in Lancaster County in southeastern Pennsylvania. According to the state health department, none of the four decedents were vaccinated. The two infants were noted as being too young to have received routine measles vaccination under current recommendations.
State officials reported nearly 700 illnesses attributed to measles this year across 38 counties. The report highlights that about 100 cases occurred in the seven days immediately before the article’s publication, indicating active and expanding transmission. These measles-associated deaths are the first recorded in Pennsylvania in 35 years, according to state officials.
The article places the state outbreak within a broader national trend: the U.S. is experiencing its worst year for measles since 1991, and the nation has recorded seven reported measles-associated deaths in the last two years — a total that the source states is greater than the combined number of reported deaths over the previous three decades.
The report states clearly that none of the four people who died were vaccinated against measles. It also notes that the two infant decedents were too young to be vaccinated under current recommendations. The piece does not provide ages for the infants beyond indicating they were infants, nor does it provide other clinical or immunization history details for the other decedents beyond vaccination status.
The story references the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) as the preventive measure that had kept measles outbreaks at bay for decades.
The article situates Pennsylvania’s outbreak within a nationwide resurgence of measles. It reports that vaccination coverage has fallen below the 95% threshold widely cited as necessary to prevent sustained outbreaks. The source notes that international health officials are scheduled to meet in November to assess whether the U.S. and Mexico have lost their measles-free status; no outcome of that meeting is provided in the article.
The report emphasizes that measles infections have been increasing in recent years and that the current patterns have been years in the making.
The source lists multiple factors contributing to declining routine vaccination rates and the current resurgence. These include the use of parental waivers exempting children from routine vaccination, barriers to health care access, and spreading disinformation about vaccines. The article also states that more recently, certain federal-level officials have questioned vaccine safety and reduced funding for local vaccination efforts, which the source identifies as exacerbating the problem.
Specifically, the piece references that some Trump administration health officials have publicly questioned vaccine safety at an unprecedented level and have cut funding for initiatives intended to improve vaccination rates. The report does not add additional detail on specific policies, programs, or amounts of funding removed.
Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen is quoted in the report expressing sympathy for the families who lost loved ones to measles and calling the outbreak the state’s worst in more than three decades. She affirmed the health department’s commitment to working with partners across Pennsylvania to stem the outbreak and prevent more deaths.
Dr. Bogen’s statement highlights two priorities: ensuring the public has accurate information about measles and ensuring access to the MMR vaccine. The article does not enumerate specific operational actions, such as vaccination clinics, outbreak control measures, or resource deployments, beyond this statement of commitment.
This account is based on an Associated Press report republished by STAT News on Sept. 15, 2026. The article cites statements from the Pennsylvania county coroner’s office and the state health department and references national trends and upcoming international discussions about measles-free status. Where the original report did not provide additional clinical details or operational specifics, this rewrite does not add them. The Associated Press is identified as the original reporter, and the article notes AP’s funding disclosures and standards; no further independent verification or additional data were provided in the source.