HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday confirmed two additional measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania, bringing the total count to four this year.

According to a DOH news release, both individuals were unvaccinated. One individual lived in Jefferson County and the other lived in Mifflin County.

The Mifflin County Coroner confirmed in a Facebook post that the victim from Mifflin County was 18 years old. The coroner says following a review of medical records and all available investigative information, the cause of death was determined to be acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), which is a rare and severe neurological complication of measles.

To protect the privacy of both individuals and their families, DOH said it will not be releasing any additional details that could personally identify them. While local officials in the respective counties where the deaths occurred may release more details about the deceased, DOH is bound by different laws that strictly limit what it can share publicly. DOH says the two additional deaths will be added to DOH’s measles dashboard Wednesday, as part of the regular update.

Pennsylvania officials say the best protection against measles remains getting fully vaccinated. The MMR vaccine, administered over two doses, boosts a person’s immune system and provides 97% lifetime protection.

“My thoughts are with the two families who lost loved ones to this highly-contagious virus, as Pennsylvania faces the worst measles outbreak in more than three decades,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen. “We remain committed to working with our partners across Pennsylvania to stem this outbreak and prevent more deaths. That means ensuring people have the facts about measles and access to the MMR vaccine – which kept measles outbreaks at bay for decades.”

To determine that these cases met the criteria to be considered measles-associated deaths prior to announcing them, DOH conducted rigorous investigations with cooperation from the Jefferson and Mifflin County coroner’s offices. DOH says these investigations included confirming clinical evidence of a measles infection, a positive laboratory test, and that the death was not due to an unrelated cause. That process aligns with DOH’s detailed epidemiological case definition for determining a measles-associated death, which is available at pa.gov/measles. Additional factors, such as whether the individual was exposed to measles prior to their death and supporting medical records, were also considered.

DOH completed similar investigations when it reported two measles-associated deaths in Lancaster County on August 25, Pennsylvania’s first deaths of this kind in 35 years.

So far in 2026, DOH has confirmed 693 measles cases in 38 counties, according to the release.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that can cause serious short- and long-term health problems, including pneumonia and brain swelling, with nearly 20% of people identified with measles being hospitalized. Based on historical data, measles-associated deaths, though rare, occurs in one to three patients per 1,000 cases.

Officials say measles spreads when a person who is infected and in their contagious phase breathes, coughs, or sneezes. The virus remains infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after the person with infection leaves the area.

Early symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis). The measles rash follows a few days later, starting on the head and spreading downward. Because early symptoms look similar to other respiratory viral infections, it is important to contact a health care provider early if someone has these symptoms or may have been exposed to measles. Symptoms can start 7 to 21 days after exposure. Without proper protection or supportive care, measles can be deadly, the DOH says.

People who believe they were exposed to measles, and are experiencing symptoms, should contact their health care provider or call the Department’s toll-free hotline at 877-PA-HEALTH (877-724-3258).

Governor Shapiro released the following statement on the matter:

“That’s four total measles-associated deaths in our Commonwealth and the first Pennsylvania has seen in 35 years. These are tragedies, and four families are grieving.

Pennsylvania is experiencing the worst measles outbreak in the country…This disease was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000 — yet decades later, we are seeing it surge due to lower vaccination rates.

This serious situation continues to be made worse by RFK Jr. playing games with public health and safety. It’s long past time for Secretary Kennedy to stop stoking vaccine skepticism and misinformation and compromising the serious mission of the nation’s public health agencies. It is also deeply concerning to learn that the Secretary personally intervened in an otherwise administrative process to direct the CDC to not report these Pennsylvania deaths, presumably because it doesn’t fit his phony narrative.

Measles is preventable. I continue to urge all Pennsylvanians to speak with your trusted health care provider and get the best possible information to protect yourself and your family against this deadly disease.”