Sixth measles-related death reported in Pennsylvania; state still reviewing, CDC counts two

Left · 1The Franklin County coroner's office reported on Monday 12 October that a 39-year-old woman had died of a measles-related cause, which would be the sixth such death in Pennsylvania's outbreak. 1 Left · 1Ars Technica, citing the coroner's advisory, reported that she died on Saturday 10 October, had several underlying health conditions and had recently tested positive for measles. 2 Left · 1The coroner's office listed the primary cause of death as a "probable acute cardiac event due to possible complications of the measles"; NBC News noted that cardiac complications from measles can happen but are uncommon. 1

Left · 2A coroner's spokesperson said the woman had not been vaccinated, and the office said the death meets the Pennsylvania Department of Health's definition of a measles-associated death, but it would release no further details. 1 3 Left · 1The state health department said it is aware of the death and is conducting a thorough review, and will update the public when its investigation is finished. Its measles tracker still showed five deaths on Monday, with the next update due Wednesday because of the holiday. 3 Left · 1The department defines a measles-associated death as one occurring within 30 days of symptom onset, with clinical evidence of infection and a positive lab test. 1

Left · 2As of Friday 9 October, Pennsylvania had confirmed 1,136 cases this year, 1,124 of them from the current outbreak, across 41 of 67 counties, with 157 new cases in the previous week. NBC News reported 219 hospitalizations and Ars Technica 218; NBC said two-thirds of cases were in adults. 2 1 Left · 2The earlier deaths were two infants in Lancaster County in late August (a newborn and a 6-week-old with a rare genetic condition), a 40-year-old woman with asthma and lung disease in Jefferson County, an 18-year-old in Mifflin County who died of a severe neurological complication, and a 20-year-old with leukemia, reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer in early October. 1 2 Left · 1The federal count differs: the CDC reports only two measles deaths in Pennsylvania, with no update since late September, and says its total is subject to change as reviews are completed. 3

Left · 1The Independent reported that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Gov. Josh Shapiro have traded criticism over the numbers, with Shapiro citing the Trump administration's "incompetence" and Kennedy initially claiming the deaths were "fabricated"; HHS did not immediately comment. 3 Left · 2Nationally the CDC counts 4,080 cases this year, the highest since 1991; Ars Technica says Pennsylvania's outbreak is also the state's largest since then, and that the US is widely expected to lose its measles elimination status when PAHO experts review the data in November. 1 2 Left · 1Dr. Paul Offit of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia told NBC News the true outbreak is probably closer to 6,000 cases, saying officials are "vastly underestimating" it; NBC noted measles historically kills 1 to 2 per 1,000 cases. 1