Pennsylvania Reports First Two US Measles Deaths of the Year
Two unvaccinated Pennsylvania residents died from measles, marking the first US deaths from the disease this year amid a record outbreak.
Pennsylvania health officials confirmed Tuesday that two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County have died from measles, marking the first measles-related fatalities in the United States this year. No further details about the victims were released.
State Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen expressed condolences, noting that many people are unfamiliar with the disease's severity after decades of near-elimination. "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," she said.
The deaths come as the US experiences its worst measles year since 1991. Federal data shows 2,777 cases as of Thursday, surpassing last year's record count of 2,289 cases, which included three fatalities.
The outbreak has raised concerns about the nation's measles elimination status. International health officials will meet in November to determine whether the US and Mexico have lost their measles-free designation. The US had eliminated local transmission in 2000, but vaccination rates have fallen below the 95% threshold needed to prevent outbreaks.
Recent federal data shows kindergarten vaccination rates dipped again last year, while exemption rates reached an all-time high. Lancaster County, home to a significant Amish population, has a kindergarten measles vaccination rate of about 88%. Pennsylvania has recorded nearly 400 measles cases this year.