Two unvaccinated people die of measles in US state of Pennsylvania

What the report says

Pennsylvania health officials said two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County died from measles, in what Al Jazeera reported were the first fatal cases of the disease in the state this year. The deaths were announced by the Pennsylvania Department of Health on Tuesday, with few additional details released because of privacy concerns. State health secretary Debra Bogen said many people have not seen measles for decades and may not appreciate how severe it can be.

The report places the deaths amid a wider U.S. measles outbreak that has intensified as vaccination coverage has fallen below levels experts consider necessary for herd immunity. Al Jazeera, citing official data, said the country has recorded 2,777 confirmed cases this year, while Pennsylvania has reported 393 cases across 28 counties. The article also noted that public health experts have linked the resurgence to declining vaccination rates and to vaccine skepticism that has gained attention in national politics.

For context, measles was once considered largely eliminated in the United States, but outbreaks have reappeared in recent years when the virus spreads in communities with lower immunization rates. Al Jazeera also reported that the issue has become part of a broader debate over federal vaccine policy under President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.