Overview
- The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced on Aug. 25 that two unvaccinated Lancaster County residents had died and described both deaths as “measles-associated.”
- Lancaster County Coroner Stephen Diamantoni said the infant died from a ruptured spleen and that measles virus was detected in lung tissue, and he said he did not find clear evidence that measles was the immediate cause.
- State officials say “measles-associated” means laboratory or epidemiologic evidence of measles exists even when the medical certifier has not attributed measles as the direct cause, and investigations into both deaths are ongoing.
- The outbreak continues to grow in Pennsylvania with roughly 390–424 cases reported and recent spread to Butler and Westmoreland counties, hospitals treating a sizable share of patients, and public-health leaders urging MMR vaccination.
- A high-profile political clash between HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Gov. Josh Shapiro has amplified misinformation and media disputes, complicating local outreach and fueling calls for greater transparency.