Two die of measles in Pennsylvania outbreak

Two people have died of measles in Pennsylvania, the state’s health department confirmed Tuesday. Both people were unvaccinated. They are the first such deaths in the U.S. this year, and the first in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 35 years. “Because measles was largely eliminated in the Commonwealth for more than three decades, people are not familiar with this disease and don’t fully understand the potential severity of the illness,” Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen wrote in a statement. “As a physician, I want to make sure that people understand that the MMR vaccine is safe and provides the best protection we have against measles.” The people who died lived in Lancaster County, which has seen the majority of measles cases in the state’s growing outbreak. As of Tuesday, 393 cases had been confirmed. Eighty-six had been diagnosed in the past week. So far 70 people in the state have been hospitalized for measles complications. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order meant to drive down the number of vaccines recommended for children. The move, which was backed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, drew sharp criticism from pediatricians and public health experts. And it came at a time when more parents than ever are actively avoiding vaccines for their children. During the 2025-26 school year, 4.2% of kindergartners, about 155,000 kids, had at least one vaccine exemption, up from 3.6% the previous school year, according to recent CDC data. The number of kids getting the MMR vaccine in Lancaster County, too, has been falling steadily, from 95.5% in 2017 to 87.6% in 2025. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2,777 measles cases have been reported nationwide this year, the highest number in 35 years in the U.S. As of Aug. 20, 193 people with measles, about 7% of cases, have been hospitalized this year. The majority of infected people are unvaccinated. Three people died of measles last year, an adult in New Mexico, and two young girls in Texas. The measles mumps rubella vaccine, given in two doses around age 1 and age 5, offer 97% protection against measles, usually for life.