Fourth person dies of measles-associated illness in US Iraqi News Agency

Pennsylvania health officials said a fourth person had died of measles-associated illness in the worst year for the disease since 1992.

Cases and health response

All four US deaths have occurred in the state.

Due to the Trump administration changing how it reports measles deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not count any of the deaths in its national tally.

Three people died in 2025.

“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,” Dr Debra Bogen, Pennsylvania’s secretary of health, said in a statement.

Pennsylvania has reported nearly 700 cases of measles. “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 [measles, mumps and rubella] vaccine – which kept measles outbreaks at bay for decades,” she said.

One to three people per 1,000 die of measles-related complications, such as pneumonia and neurologic complications.