Amid a 35-year high in US measles cases, two people in Pennsylvania have died after contracting the virus, the state’s health department confirmed on Tuesday. They are the first measles-related deaths in the country this year.
\n\nBoth individuals were unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County in south-central Pennsylvania, which has a large Amish population. The health department said in a statement that it would not be releasing additional information about the individuals to protect their privacy. Pennsylvania has recorded 393 measles cases in 2026 so far, with roughly half of those in Lancaster County. Only Utah and South Carolina have logged more cases this year.
\n\nPennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro called measles a “serious and growing problem” across the country in a press conference on Tuesday. “Illness and death from measles is completely preventable,” he said. “We already have the tools to protect ourselves and our families from this disease, which is one of the most contagious diseases on the face of the Earth.”
\n\nIn Pennsylvania, nearly 20 percent of those infected with measles have been hospitalized. The virus can cause severe complications such as pneumonia, which is the leading cause of death in children who get measles. The infection can also…
Original source: https://www.wired.com/
