Pennsylvania has recorded its fourth measles-related death. According to the state's health department, these deaths occurred in the past month and are linked to the ongoing measles outbreak in Pennsylvania. This marks the first recorded measles deaths in the state in the last 35 years.
Details of the Deaths
Last year, the United States recorded three measles-related deaths. According to the Pennsylvania health department, two of the recently deceased individuals were from Jefferson and Mifflin counties, and both were unvaccinated. The Mifflin County coroner reported that an 18-year-old teenager died from complications of measles, particularly a rare and severe neurological condition that causes inflammation in the brain. Additionally, a 40-year-old individual from Jefferson County, who had a history of asthma and severe lung disease, passed away on Saturday.
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Measles Outbreak and Vaccination
Two of the deaths in Lancaster County also involved infants: one infant who died immediately after birth and a 6-week-old infant. The county coroner stated that he believes measles was the sole cause of death for the 6-week-old infant. In the case of the newborn, he found evidence of the measles virus in the infant's lung tissue but attributed the cause of death to internal bleeding and severe splenic rupture. The first dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is typically administered around the age of one, so neither of these infants would have been eligible to receive it.
The Pennsylvania health department has reported that the number of measles cases in the state has reached nearly 700 this year, and state officials attribute this outbreak to a decline in vaccination rates. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed 3,294 measles cases as of September 10.
CDC Director, Erica Schwartz, announced on Monday that Pennsylvania, unlike other states facing measles outbreaks, has not requested assistance from the CDC. However, the Pennsylvania health department stated that it has "strong working relationships with CDC professional staff" and sends mortality records to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics daily. The recent deaths of infants in Lancaster County have garnered significant attention on social media, leading to misinformation and political tensions between Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Shapiro accused Kennedy of spreading misinformation about vaccines, while Kennedy claimed that these deaths might be "fabricated."
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