Amid a 35-year high in US measles cases, two unvaccinated individuals from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, have died this year. The state’s health department confirmed that both were residents of an area with a large Amish population.

The governor Josh Shapiro declared it a 'serious and growing problem', stressing the preventability of illness and death through vaccination, which is 97% effective when given in full doses. Pennsylvania has recorded 393 measles cases so far this year, with Lancaster County bearing half of that burden.

Health officials warn of severe complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis, leading to deafness or intellectual disability. Nationwide, there have been nearly 2,800 cases in 2026, up from the prior year's 2,289.

The surge in measles cases is linked to declining vaccination rates, with data showing a rise in parents seeking non-medical exemptions and a decrease in overall vaccination coverage. The governor highlighted misinformation around vaccines as a key factor, while also rejecting a suggestion for help from US health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has promoted vaccine skepticism.