Pennsylvania confirms fifth measles-associated death as US outbreak grows

Cases have more than doubled since August as a dispute with federal health officials over the death count continues.Pennsylvania has confirmed a fifth Measles-associated death this year, as the number of infections approaches 1,000 amid a rapidly growing outbreak across the state.The Pennsylvania-department-of-health" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="171429" data-entity-type="organization">Pennsylvania Department of Health announced on Wednesday that an unvaccinated resident of Lancaster County who tested positive for Measles had died.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Republican US senator slams Trump vaccine policy amid rising Measles deathslist 2 of 3Pennsylvania seeks CDC help amid dispute over US Measles deathslist 3 of 3CDC reports two Measles deaths in US as cases hit 35-year highend of listThe department said the death was reported to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The state has recorded 943 confirmed Measles cases across 39 counties so far in 2026, including 40 new cases since September 28. At least 176 people have been hospitalised.The US is currently seeing the worst Measles outbreak in the country since 1991, with several deaths reported over the last couple of years.Measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000, but the highly infectious disease has made a comeback in recent years, a trend some experts have linked to a rise in vaccine scepticism.The latest death is the third associated with Measles reported in Lancaster County this year.Located in the south-central part of the state, Lancaster County is considered the centre of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, home to the nation’s oldest Amish and Mennonite communities. Both communities have under-vaccinated populations.Pennsylvania announced its first two Measles-associated deaths in August, the first Measles-related deaths recorded in the state in 35 years. Since then, the number of confirmed infections has more than doubled.The growing outbreak has prompted the administration of Governor Josh Shapiro to expand vaccination efforts and public health outreach.