Pennsylvania reports sixth measles death as CDC counts only two nationwide
A 39-year-old woman in Franklin County died of a measles-associated death, the sixth in Pennsylvania's outbreak. The CDC's national tally still counts only two deaths, as Governor Josh Shapiro and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dispute how such deaths are defined.
The sixth death
The Franklin County Coroner's Office reported a measles-associated death of a 39-year-old woman on Monday, 12 October, bringing the state's death toll to six. Ars Technica reports she died on Saturday, 10 October, and that she was unvaccinated, with several underlying health conditions and a recent positive measles test. The coroner's office listed the primary cause of death as "probable acute cardiac event due to possible complications of the measles" in an emailed statement to The Washington Post. The office said it would release no further details, citing privacy concerns. The coroner's office described the case in a statement shared on Facebook.
This is the first death in Franklin County in many years with a patient with a recent history of a measles diagnosis and meets the definition set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Health for a measles-associated death.
Outbreak size
As of Friday, 9 October, Pennsylvania had confirmed 1,136 measles cases since the start of the year across 41 of its 67 counties, with 1,124 linked to the current outbreak and 218 people hospitalized. The Washington Post reports that 157 new cases were recorded in the previous week, and Ars Technica says the outbreak began in April. According to The Washington Post, the state's outbreak is the first in the United States to surpass 1,000 cases in 35 years. Ars Technica reports the national case count for the year has reached 4,080, the highest since 1991. Infectious-disease experts told The Washington Post that the number of deaths suggests the outbreak is larger than the number of reported cases. The state's measles tracker still showed five deaths on Monday, and its next update was scheduled for Wednesday because of the holiday.
- Outbreak begins in Pennsylvania
- First measles death reported in Pennsylvania
- 1,136 cases reported in 41 counties as of Friday
- 39-year-old woman dies in Franklin County
- Coroner reports sixth state measles death
The CDC count
The CDC's national measles tally includes two deaths, and The Independent reports the agency lists only two deaths in Pennsylvania. The Washington Post reports that Pennsylvania is the only state to have reported measles deaths this year. After the state announced its first two deaths, the CDC excluded them from its tally, a decision made by the agency's new director, Erica Schwartz. Former officials called the move highly unusual, and Reuters reports the CDC has shifted to mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics. The agency says its death count could change as more information becomes available.
- Pennsylvania state death toll
- 6 deaths
- CDC count for Pennsylvania
- 2 deaths
Political dispute
The death count has become part of a dispute between Governor Josh Shapiro and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Shapiro accused Kennedy, the founder of a prominent anti-vaccine group, of sowing confusion about vaccines and contributing to the spread of a disease the United States eliminated more than 25 years ago, according to The Washington Post. Kennedy responded that the governor is using the situation for political gain, and the Post notes Shapiro is widely expected to run for president. The Independent reports that Shapiro blasted what he called the Trump administration's "incompetence" in responding to the virus, and that Kennedy initially claimed Pennsylvania's measles deaths were "fabricated." Reuters describes the disagreement as one over how such deaths are defined.
What happens next
The state health department told The Independent it is aware of the death and is reviewing the case. Press Secretary Neil Ruhland said in an email that the department is acting on the report.
Our team has reached out to the coroner's office and is conducting a thorough review of the reported death. We will update the public after our investigation is finished.
The department will rely on its definition of a measles-associated death, which covers a death within 30 days of symptom onset with clinical evidence of infection, a positive lab test and no unrelated causes. Experts from the Pan American Health Organization are set to meet in November to review US measles data, and Ars Technica reports the United States is widely expected to lose its measles elimination status at that meeting.
