Two Unvaccinated Pennsylvanians Die as Measles Claims First State Fatalities in 35 Years
Pennsylvania health officials reported that two unvaccinated individuals have died from measles, marking the state's first measles deaths in 35 years and the first such fatalities in the United States this year.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed on Tuesday that two unvaccinated residents have died from measles, the first measles-related deaths in the state since 1989. The fatalities also represent the first measles deaths reported in the United States this year.
State Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen expressed condolences to the families, noting that measles had been largely eliminated in Pennsylvania for more than three decades, which may have reduced public awareness of the disease's seriousness.
The deaths occur amid a national surge in measles cases. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that confirmed cases in the United States rose to 2,777 in the latest reporting period, surpassing the previous year's total of 2,289—the highest count in over three decades and the most since 1991.