Two deaths from measles in Pennsylvania

U.S. health officials said on Tuesday that two Pennsylvania residents died of measles, the first such fatalities in the state in 35 years, as 393 cases of the disease were recorded across 28 counties since the beginning of 2026.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health stated that the two individuals, who were residents of Lancaster County, had not been vaccinated. The department did not provide further details, citing privacy concerns.

Deborah Birx, the state’s health secretary, said, “People are not aware of this disease and do not fully appreciate its potential severity, because measles has been largely eliminated in the state for more than three decades.”

Measles cases have risen in the United States this year, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting 2,777 confirmed cases nationwide as of August 20.

The total number of cases in 2026 represents the highest annual count in the United States since the highly contagious disease re-emerged on a wide scale between 1989 and 1991, when more than 55,000 cases and 123 deaths were recorded.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services had not yet responded to a request for comment from Reuters.