Public Safety · Lancaster County
Measles Outbreak Kills Five in Pennsylvania; Lancaster County Epicenter
Pennsylvania is experiencing the worst U.S. measles outbreak in 35 years, with over 1,350 cases statewide and more than a third concentrated in Lancaster County, home to the largest Amish population in the country. Three measles-associated deaths have been recorded in Lancaster County and two in other Pennsylvania counties, according to state figures that community leaders say undercount actual infections. The outbreak has hit Plain communities of Amish and conservative Mennonites hardest, where kindergarten MMR vaccination rates stand at 88%, below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity. Union Community Care has held small-scale vaccine clinics reaching Plain populations, administering about 450 measles shots, while some residents show new openness to vaccination and others remain skeptical. State health officials expect cases could rise as winter brings more indoor gatherings.