Pennsylvania and Wisconsin each reported one new measles-associated death on November 13, 2026, bringing the U.S. total for the year to 10 deaths.
Pennsylvania and Wisconsin each reported one new measles-associated death on November 13, 2026, bringing the total number of deaths linked to measles in the United States this year to 10.
Pennsylvania has reported seven measles-associated deaths this year. The state has seen 1,542 measles cases, including 305 hospitalizations, across 46 counties, as of November 9. The state’s current outbreak began in late April 2026. Less than 1% of cases (n=5) have been in vaccinated individuals. The latest death was of an unvaccinated person.
Wisconsin has reported two measles-associated deaths. The state has seen 651 cases, including 14 hospitalizations, across 20 counties, as of November 13. The state’s outbreak began in August 2026. As in Pennsylvania, 99.4% of cases in Wisconsin have been in unvaccinated people. The Wisconsin Health Department said a child had died, but declined to release more information, citing the family’s privacy.
There have been 5,412 confirmed measles cases, including 591 hospitalizations, in the United States, according to CDC data as of November 12. These cases have mostly been in unvaccinated people (96%). The CDC has recognized six measles-associated deaths in 2026; however, the agency notes that this number is subject to change.
Along with the Pennsylvania and Wisconsin deaths, New York state reported one additional measles-associated death in a child on November 2, bringing the collective states’ total to 10 deaths.
US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr asked CDC director Erica Schwartz not to count some Pennsylvania deaths, claiming there was no evidence they were measles-associated. The CDC then changed its data source for measles deaths, a change noted on its website on September 4. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Kennedy are at odds over how deaths are classified. Pennsylvania reports a death as measles-associated when a person with confirmed measles dies within 30 days of developing symptoms, unless an unrelated event caused it. The CDC said it is working with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists on a standardized definition.
Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, meaning it was no longer continuously spreading, though there can be occasional outbreaks. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), a group within the World Health Organization, met this week to determine whether the U.S. can still be considered measles-free. Their decision is expected to be announced on Tuesday. At the center of PAHO’s deliberations is whether there has been ongoing transmission in the U.S. for a full year. Canada lost its elimination status last year after the agency determined that the virus had been spreading there for at least 12 months.
The U.S. has recorded 10 measles-associated deaths in 2026, with Pennsylvania reporting seven and Wisconsin reporting two. The CDC’s federal tally of six deaths is lower than the combined state count, and the classification of deaths is disputed between federal and state officials. The country’s measles elimination status, in place since 2000, is under review by the Pan American Health Organization.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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