Two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, have died of measles, the state's health department confirmed on Tuesday. These are the first deaths from the disease in the state in 35 years and mark the first measles deaths in the United States this year.
The deaths come as the country grapples with its largest outbreak of the disease in three decades. The announcement was made just one day after Maryland declared a measles outbreak in three of its counties.
The state is not identifying the two deceased individuals. Officials noted that measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to medicine, but it is preventable with a highly effective vaccine.