Two unvaccinated residents die from measles in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported that two residents died from measles, marking the first fatal cases of the disease in the United States this year. Both individuals were unvaccinated and resided in Lancaster County. Due to privacy concerns, no further details were provided. Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Debra Bogen stated that measles had been largely eliminated in the state for over three decades, leading to a lack of familiarity with the disease and its potential severity. The U.S. is experiencing a significant measles outbreak, with vaccination rates falling below the levels necessary for herd immunity. This decline has been attributed in part to the anti-vaccination movement, which includes figures such as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. As of this year, there have been at least 2,777 confirmed measles cases in the U.S., with Pennsylvania recording 393 cases across 28 counties. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at reducing the number of recommended vaccines for children, challenging the established scientific consensus on vaccine safety and efficacy. Dr. Angela Dunn, a former Utah state epidemiologist, noted that previous outbreaks should have served as warnings, referencing outbreaks in Texas, South Carolina, and Utah. In 2025, three deaths were reported from a measles outbreak that originated in West Texas and spread to New Mexico.