The death of an 18-year-old in Pennsylvania has been confirmed as due to complications from measles. The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced on Tuesday that this death has become the fourth measles-related death in the state. All of these deaths have been reported in the past month, and this is the first time in 35 years that deaths due to measles have been recorded in this state.
Details of the Deaths
Last year, the United States recorded only three deaths from measles. The Pennsylvania Department of Health stated that two of the individuals who recently lost their lives were from Jefferson and Mifflin counties, and both were unvaccinated. The coroner of Mifflin County said on Tuesday that this teenager died due to complications from measles, particularly a rare and severe neurological disease that causes inflammation in the brain.
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Measles Outbreak and Vaccination
The death of a 40-year-old woman with asthma and severe lung issues was also reported on Saturday. Two other deaths in Lancaster County involved infants, one of whom died immediately after birth and the other at 6 weeks of age. Due to the decrease in vaccination rates, state officials attribute the recent measles outbreak to this factor. Nearly 700 cases of measles have been reported in Pennsylvania this year, and 133 people have been hospitalized due to complications from the disease.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirms deaths as "measles-related" if there is clinical evidence of measles infection and positive test results. This department also considers the medical information of individuals and their connection to measles prior to death.
Recent deaths in Lancaster County have led to a lot of misinformation on social media and political disagreements between Josh Shapiro, the Governor of Pennsylvania, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health. Shapiro has accused Kennedy of spreading misinformation about vaccines, while Kennedy has claimed that these deaths may be "fabricated" and that Shapiro is pursuing political interests.
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