Two unvaccinated individuals in Pennsylvania have died from measles, marking the first reported deaths from the virus in the US this year amid a significant national outbreak.
The state's health department confirmed the fatalities on Tuesday, both occurring in Lancaster County, an area with a substantial Amish population. Health officials stated that privacy concerns prevented them from releasing further details about the deceased. Pennsylvania has seen 393 measles cases so far this year, with nearly half concentrated in Lancaster County, making it one of the hardest-hit states, surpassed only by Utah and South Carolina in case numbers.
Governor Josh Shapiro described measles as a "serious and growing problem" across the nation, emphasizing that the illness and death it causes are "completely preventable." He highlighted that the tools to protect against this highly contagious disease are readily available, noting that in Pennsylvania, approximately 20 percent of those infected have required hospitalization. Measles can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, brain swelling (encephalitis), which can result in deafness or intellectual disability.
Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded nearly 2,800 measles cases this year, a sharp increase from previous years and significantly higher than the 285 cases in 2023. This surge is largely attributed to declining vaccination rates. Recent CDC data reveals a decrease in vaccination coverage among kindergartners for all reported vaccines during the last school year, coupled with a rise in parents seeking non-medical vaccine exemptions for their children. Measles outbreaks are typically prevented when around 95 percent of a community is vaccinated, a threshold not met in many areas, including Lancaster County where only 87 percent of incoming kindergartners are fully vaccinated.
Governor Shapiro pointed to misinformation surrounding vaccines as a primary driver of the ongoing cases in Pennsylvania. He reassured the public that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is highly effective, boasting a 97 percent success rate with two doses, and serious side effects are extremely rare. In response to the outbreak, the state health department has conducted 91 pop-up vaccination clinics, administering over 4,100 vaccines, with a quarter of these administered in Lancaster County.
The situation has drawn attention from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has previously expressed skepticism about vaccines. While Shapiro acknowledged a call from Kennedy offering assistance, he firmly stated that rhetoric from the current administration is negatively impacting communities. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order proposing to separate the MMR vaccine, a move criticized by over 210 medical organizations and patient groups who argue it could leave children less protected and create confusion, as there is no scientific basis for splitting the established single MMR injection.
