Wisconsin and Pennsylvania reported two more measles-associated deaths on Friday, bringing the national toll up as the United States faces its largest resurgence of the virus in decades, MedPage Today reported.
Wisconsin health officials reported a measles-associated death in a child without providing further detail. The state has logged 649 cases since August, recording its first such death since 1990 just the week prior. In Pennsylvania, the fatality involved an unvaccinated resident, according to the state’s health department, which also withheld further information.
Nationwide, 5,412 cases of measles were confirmed as of Nov. 12, according to the CDC, marking the highest tally in decades. Nearly all infections—97%—have occurred in unvaccinated individuals.
The ongoing outbreaks will likely mean the end of the U.S. measles elimination status, which was first attained in 2000. The Pan American Health Organization met to determine whether the chain of transmission in the U.S. has gone on uninterrupted for at least 12 months, with an imminent decision expected.
With Friday’s announcement, Pennsylvania has reported seven deaths among its nation-leading 1,542 measles cases. Wisconsin has recorded two deaths, while New York has recorded one death among 210 cases.
“Let's say we did lose our measles elimination status. We're going to be doing the same exact thing that we've been doing today, which is working with the states,” Schwartz said.
“The public health system is also not nearly as well-funded or well-resourced — or well-supported — as it has been before,” said Dr. Walter Orenstein, who has led the CDC's National Immunization Program.
The nationwide outbreaks coincide with public health discussions surrounding vaccine safety. The CDC earlier this year reported that 92.4% of 2025-26 kindergarteners received their required MMR shots, down from 95% prior to the COVID pandemic—the level required for herd immunity.
“We have now bred a whole culture of denial of the impact of measles and elevated vastly overstated, active disinformation about the safety of the measles vaccine,” said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a pediatric infectious diseases expert with Stanford University.
The CDC confirmed six measles-related deaths for the year in its official figures published on Thursday, while state health departments have reported 10 deaths total. The discrepancy follows a change in how the CDC tracks mortality trends using data from the National Center for Health Statistics.
Infections have surged as national kindergarten vaccination rates dropped to 92.4% for the 2025-26 school year, falling below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity. Officials have also pointed to lower vaccination rates within closely knit communities, such as the Amish in Pennsylvania.
The Pan American Health Organization evaluates epidemiological and laboratory evidence to check whether local measles transmission has continued uninterrupted for at least 12 months.
“Measles is the great indicator of where the cracks are in our foundation,” former top CDC official Demetre Daskalakis said.
The combined measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine offers approximately 97% protection after two doses, according to public health data.
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