Health department staff members enter the Andrews County Health Department measles clinic carrying doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Andrews, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)
2 Lancaster County residents die amid growing Pa. measles outbreak
The state is expanding vaccination efforts as the school year begins.
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Haley O'Brien/WITF
Health department staff members enter the Andrews County Health Department measles clinic carrying doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Andrews, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)
Two people have died from measles in Pennsylvania, the first reported deaths from the highly contagious virus in the United States this year. State officials confirmed the deaths Tuesday.
The two deceased were unvaccinated and from Lancaster County. Officials said they will not share additional details.
At a news conference Tuesday morning Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, blamed the federal government for spreading misinformation about vaccines.
“When the information we see coming from the federal government in some cases isn’t driven by facts and by science, it makes it even more confusing for parents and that has a serious impact,” he said.
As of Monday afternoon, the state reported 393 cases of measles in 28 counties. The spread, which began in Lancaster County in April, has reached west to Mercer County and north to Potter County.
Lancaster has the most infections with 185 people diagnosed this year. Measles is a highly contagious viral respiratory illness. It spreads when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. Measles can cause pneumonia, brain swelling and other complications.
Pa. Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen and leaders from Penn Medicine joined the governor to provide an update and clarify information about the disease.
As a result of the outbreak, the Pa. Department of Health conducted outreach with school districts and hosted vaccination clinics.
“We are in contact with school nurses across the state,” Bogen said. “So the schools are prepared and have all of the tools they need and we will support them if there’s a case.”
Pennsylvania has the third-highest number of confirmed cases, following South Carolina and Utah, with 393 cases as of Monday. The state Department of Health held 91 pop-up clinics and is planning 40 more.
Shapiro said while providers typically administer 25,000 MMR vaccinations per month, about 35,000 people were vaccinated in the last month.
“I believe we are making some progress,” he said. “We need to keep at it. We’re not out of the woods yet.“
Dr. Jeffrey Martin, chair of family and community medicine at Penn Medicine, called getting vaccinated an act of compassion.
“One of the things I love most about Lancaster County is that we understand the importance of community,” he said. “We care for our neighbors. Vaccination is another way we care for one other. Yes, it is a personal health decision, but it also has a community impact. When enough people are vaccinated, we create a protective barrier around those who cannot protect themselves.”
Shapiro said he spoke to U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Tuesday morning and refused his offer to provide staff to assist the state.
“I made very clear that his actions and the rhetoric that’s coming from this administration are having a negative impact on communities across America, particularly right here in Pennsylvania,” he said. “There’s real life consequences to scaring people and not relying on actual doctors and actual medical professionals to provide unbiased information.”
The deaths come as children head back to the classroom and vaccination rates have declined statewide. Pennsylvania launched a new online tool for families to review vaccination rates for individual schools. The dashboard provides vaccination data for students in kindergarten, seventh grade and 12th grade.
- Sources:
- Pa. measles outbreak spreads as health officials urge vaccinations ahead of school year
- Measles in Pennsylvania: What to know about symptoms, vaccines and exposure
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