PA Measles-Associated Death Toll Rises Again

PENNSYLVANIA — The state has recorded its sixth measles-associated death this year.

Franklin County Coroner Jordan F. Conner announced Monday that a 39-year-old woman who had a past diagnosis of measles died on Saturday. The woman also had several other underlying medical conditions.

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"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," Conner said in a statement.

Conner did not indicate if the woman had been vaccinated and would not release any other details that possibly would reveal her identity. "Our office is bound by laws that limit what can be shared publicly , and families deserve the dignity to mourn in private," he said.

According to the state health department's measles dashboard, last updated Friday, there have been 1,136 total measles cases in the state this year, resulting in 219 hospitalizations and five deaths. Because of the Columbus Day-Indigenous People's Day holiday, an updated dashboard was not available on Monday.

The most recent measles-associated death in Pennsylvania was reported in Lancaster County on Oct. 1. Other fatal measles-associated cases involved two infants in Lancaster County, an 18-year-old resident of Mifflin County and a 40-year-old woman in Jefferson County.

Pennsylvania is the state with the most measles cases in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's measles dashboard.

The CDC's dashboard - also last updated Friday- shows there have been 4,080 measles cases this year, resulting in 414 hospitalizations.

The CDC thus far formally has recognized only two deaths from the highly infectious virus, but has said that number is subject to change as additional information becomes available and relevant reviews are completed.