CDC counts six measles deaths nationwide, but Pennsylvania alone counts six

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported six measles-related deaths in the United States for 2026, according to figures published on its website on November 12. That is twice the number recorded in 2025.

Pennsylvania health officials have confirmed six measles-associated deaths in their state this year. The CDC does not identify which states account for the deaths in its official statistics.

A child also died in New York state, the first known measles-related death there in more than three decades, and an infant death was confirmed in Wisconsin.

In September, reporting indicated the CDC was excluding four measles deaths in Pennsylvania from its count. Members of Congress requested an immediate briefing on the decision to change how measles deaths are reported.

The outbreak is the largest in the US since 1991. More than 5,400 cases have been reported nationwide, according to the Johns Hopkins University International Vaccine Access Center tracker. As of November 5, the country had reported more than 100 new cases each week for 13 consecutive weeks.

In August, Pennsylvania health officials reported the state's first two measles deaths in 35 years, both in Lancaster County. Both individuals were not vaccinated.

The gap between the CDC's national figure and state tallies matters because the public, health officials, and policymakers rely on the national dashboard to gauge the outbreak's severity. When the official count is lower than the sum of state-confirmed deaths, the national data understates the toll.

The vaccine, given as two doses of MMR, is about 97 percent effective at preventing infection.

Congress has requested a briefing.