US CDC confirms first measles-related death of 2026

Sept 23 — The US Centers for Disease Control and ​Prevention confirmed one measles-related death in the country in 2026, according to the ‌agency's website on Wednesday.

The CDC added the figure is subject ⁠to change and will ​be updated as ⁠additional information becomes available and relevant reviews ‌are completed.

Pennsylvania has ‌reported four measles-associated deaths in 2026 so ⁠far, according to ⁠the state's health department, but the CDC did not confirm whether its reported measles-related death was among those cases.

A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson told ‌Reuters that the National Center ​for Health Statistics had notified the agency of a death reported by a state.

The US has recorded 3,471 measles cases this year as of September 17, according to the CDC's data.

The agency said last week ​it is working with the Council of ‌State and Territorial ‌Epidemiologists ⁠to develop a standardized case definition for measles deaths, as the outbreak grows across the country.

This work is intended to promote consistent ‌classification and reporting of ​measles deaths across jurisdictions, ‌HHS said.

(Reporting by ⁠Siddhi ​Mahatole and Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay ​Kishore)

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