Pennsylvania Confirms Third Measles-Linked Death as Outbreak Grows

Overview

• Jefferson County’s medical examiner confirmed that a 40-year-old unvaccinated woman died of measles complications after catching the virus from a family member and suffering from COPD and asthma.
• State health officials say this is Pennsylvania’s third reported measles-associated death this year while the outbreak continues to produce hundreds of cases and dozens of hospitalizations concentrated in Lancaster County.
• The CDC says Pennsylvania has not formally requested an Epi-Aid deployment of federal epidemiologists and that state officials did not notify the agency about the newest death, though the CDC has offered help if asked.
• U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. publicly questioned the reported deaths and urged the CDC not to count them, and Governor Josh Shapiro and state officials have rejected those claims and urged vaccination.
• Public-health data show falling preschool MMR coverage has increased vulnerability, leaving roughly 280,000 students at risk, which raises the stakes for vaccination outreach and any formal CDC support requests.