PHILADELPHIA, PA — Two unvaccinated Pennsylvania residents have died after getting measles, marking the first measles-related deaths reported in the United States this year. State health officials said Tuesday that both people lived in Lancaster County, and they did not release any further details about them.
The deaths come as the country is seeing its worst measles year since 1991, with 2,777 cases reported as of Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pennsylvania health secretary Dr. Debra Bogen said the illness can be severe and noted that many people no longer recognize how dangerous measles can be after decades of limited spread in the state.
What State Officials Said
Pennsylvania health officials said the two deaths were announced Tuesday and described them as the first U.S. measles deaths of 2025. Bogen said her sympathies were with the families and stressed that the Commonwealth has not seen measles at this level for more than three decades.
The CDC count also shows how quickly the outbreak has grown. The national total has already passed 2025’s measles count, and the United States has seen five measles-associated deaths in the last two years, more than the total reported in the previous 30 years combined. Federal officials said the MMR vaccine offers the strongest protection against measles and helps limit spread.
Why Cases Spread
Officials said the rise in cases reflects falling vaccination coverage, which has slipped below the 95% level needed to keep outbreaks from taking hold. The country eliminated continuous local measles spread in 2000, but public health leaders say that protection depends on keeping immunization rates high.
In Pennsylvania, Lancaster County sits at the center of the state’s Amish community, where some families are more likely to avoid modern medical care. State data show that about 88% of kindergartners in the county were current on measles vaccination during the last school year. Pennsylvania has counted nearly 400 measles cases this year, while Chester County has the most in the Philadelphia region, with 41.
What Officials Want Next
State leaders said Pennsylvania has stepped up its vaccine outreach as cases have climbed, and about 35,000 people have been vaccinated, compared with a typical pace of about 25,000 per month. Health officials said that kind of response is part of the effort to slow the outbreak before more people are exposed.
Gov. Josh Shapiro said he spoke with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who offered federal staff support, but Pennsylvania declined because state health workers were already handling the situation. Federal officials later said they would continue supporting Pennsylvania’s response. Public health leaders say international officials are set to review the country’s measles-free status in November.
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