A 39-year-old Franklin County woman has died after treatment for measles, as Pennsylvania’s outbreak spreads to 41 counties and fuels disagreement over how fatalities should be counted.
Pennsylvania officials say a 39-year-old woman from Franklin County has died after being treated for measles, bringing the state’s death toll in the current outbreak to six. The county coroner said the woman had several underlying health conditions and that her death met the criteria for a measles-associated death. Her vaccination status was not disclosed. According to the latest report cited by KPAX, the death comes nearly six weeks after the state recorded its first measles-related fatality in more than 35 years.
The outbreak has continued to spread across the state. Pennsylvania has now confirmed 1,078 cases in 41 counties, with 207 people hospitalised, according to the state Department of Health. That is a sharp increase from earlier state updates, which showed 693 cases in 38 counties, then 943 cases in 39 counties, before the tally climbed again. State officials previously confirmed two additional measles-associated deaths, both involving unvaccinated people, and later reported a fifth death in Lancaster County.
The numbers have also exposed disagreement over how measles deaths are being counted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recognised only two of the deaths reported in Pennsylvania as it works on a standardised definition for measles deaths, according to the report. The World Health Organisation says a death should be considered measles-related when a person diagnosed with measles dies within 30 days of the onset of a rash and the death is not caused by an unrelated illness. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has accused Pennsylvania officials of overstating the outbreak and said the deaths may have been fabricated, allegations the state has not accepted.
Health officials continue to urge vaccination as the most effective way to prevent measles. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is about 97% effective after two doses, according to the CDC and Pennsylvania health officials. Children are usually given the first dose between 12 and 15 months of age and the second between 4 and 6 years old, before starting kindergarten, while infants as young as 6 months can receive the shot in some higher-risk situations. Measles can lead to pneumonia, brain damage, blindness, deafness, diarrhoea and complications in pregnancy, including premature birth or low birth weight. The World Health Organisation says herd immunity is reached when about 95% of a community is vaccinated.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
