Pennsylvania's measles crisis deepens

Pennsylvania has 731 confirmed measles cases as of September 2026, with 117 reported in just the last week. None of the infected people were vaccinated.

Four measles deaths in Pennsylvania

The state reported its first two measles deaths in 35 years on August 25: two infants from Lancaster County. Two more deaths have since been confirmed, including a 40-year-old woman and an 18-year-old.

CDC won't list the deaths

Pennsylvania's health department and three independent coroners certified all four deaths as measles-associated. But the CDC's website shows no measles deaths for 2026.

“The National Center for Health Statistics does not currently have any death records from 2026 that indicate measles is the underlying cause.”

Shapiro blames RFK Jr. directly

Governor Shapiro told CNN that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is personally directing CDC staff to remove the deaths from the dashboard to protect his narrative.

“RFK has reached down into his agency to take those names off the dashboard, because it doesn't meet his phony narrative.”

Refusing federal measles funding

Shapiro announced Pennsylvania will not accept additional federal funding to fight measles until Kennedy acknowledges the four deaths on the CDC website.

“We will be happy to accept additional support to deal with this crisis. But I'm not going to accept that until RFK does what is right.”

Shapiro holds Kennedy responsible

The governor told CNN that Kennedy is responsible for declining vaccination rates and increased measles outbreaks across the country.

“He doesn't believe that measles is an issue.”

Kennedy dismisses vaccine concerns

Kennedy has told CNN that measles outbreaks are concentrated in religious communities that don't vaccinate, dismissing broader public health concerns.

“Almost all of the measles outbreaks have been in religious communities that just don't vaccinate.”

Kennedy's history in Lancaster County

The New York Times reported that Kennedy spread vaccine misinformation in Lancaster County years ago, telling an Amish county fair that health agencies want to force vaccination and that measles can be cured with chicken soup and vitamin A.

“The cure for measles is chicken soup and vitamin A.”

National measles surge accelerating

The CDC reported 3,296 measles cases in the United States in 2026, up from 2,289 in 2025. This year, 95 percent of cases have been in unvaccinated people.

America lost measles elimination status

After outbreaks in the 1990s killed 100 people, a major vaccination push virtually eliminated measles by 2000. The United States lost its measles elimination status last year.

First measles deaths in a decade

Three people died from measles in 2025, marking the country's first measles deaths in 10 years. Pennsylvania's four deaths in 2026 represent a sharp escalation.

Lancaster County hit hardest

The majority of Pennsylvania's measles cases are concentrated in Lancaster County. Southeastern Pennsylvania counties Chester and Montgomery have reported 70 cases combined.

Shapiro questions presidential oversight

The governor told CNN he is surprised the president of the United States is allowing Kennedy to remove the deaths from the CDC dashboard.

“I'm surprised that the president of the United States is letting him get away with this.”