Pennsylvania Measles Outbreak Death Toll Hits Four as State Confirms Teen, Woman Died Unvaccinated

Since Pennsylvania's first two measles deaths were confirmed on August 25 in two Lancaster County infants too young to be vaccinated, the state's outbreak has now claimed two more lives, bringing the total to four.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed Tuesday that an 18-year-old resident of Mifflin County died from acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, a rare and severe neurological complication of measles, according to Mifflin County Coroner Andrea Alcalde. Alcalde said the determination came after a review of medical records and all available investigative information, and ruled the manner of death natural. She said no further details about the teenager would be released.

The department also confirmed a death reported over the weekend by the Jefferson County Coroner's Office: a 40-year-old woman who died September 12 from complications associated with measles. Jefferson County Coroner Greg Furlong said the woman had been unvaccinated and had contact with a neighbor who had a lab-confirmed case of the disease. Chief Deputy Coroner Jason Stiver said measles can cause serious respiratory problems, hospitalization, and in rare cases, death, and urged the public to follow public health guidance on vaccination.

None of the four Pennsylvanians who died this year had been vaccinated, according to the state health department. The two infants were too young to qualify for the MMR shot under current recommendations.

"My thoughts are with the two families who lost loved ones to this highly contagious virus, as Pennsylvania faces the worst measles outbreak in more than three decades," Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen said in a statement. "We remain committed to working with our partners across Pennsylvania to stem this outbreak and prevent more deaths. That means ensuring people have the facts about measles and access to the MMR vaccine, which kept measles outbreaks at bay for decades."

As of Tuesday's update, Pennsylvania has reported 693 measles cases across 38 counties this year, with 99 new cases in the last seven days and 133 hospitalizations, according to the state health department. The two newest deaths will appear on the state's outbreak dashboard Wednesday.

A National Picture

The United States is having its worst measles year since 1991, according to the Associated Press. Seven measles-associated deaths have been reported nationally over the past two years, more than the combined total from the previous three decades, the AP reported. Vaccination coverage has slipped below the 95% threshold needed to prevent outbreaks, and international health officials are set to meet in November to decide whether the U.S. and Mexico have lost their measles-elimination status.

Where Pennsylvania and the CDC Disagree

Reporting from Epoch Times shows that CDC Director Dr. Erica Schwartz told the outlet Pennsylvania has not notified the agency of the new death or accepted federal assistance offers. Schwartz said Texas, South Carolina, Virginia, Kansas, New Mexico, and Wisconsin have all formally requested CDC Epi-Aid support during their own outbreaks, while Pennsylvania has not. "CDC remains ready to provide Epi-Aid support to Pennsylvania as soon as the state officially requests our help," she said. Pennsylvania's health department has not publicly explained why it hasn't sought that help.

Separately, Ars Technica reported that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has disputed measles deaths, spread misinformation about the MMR vaccine, and ordered the CDC to exclude the two Lancaster County infant deaths from national reporting. That reporting has not been confirmed by an on-record HHS statement in these sources, and the CDC has also changed its methodology, saying it will now count only death records it receives directly from the National Center for Health Statistics rather than relying on state and local determinations, according to Ars Technica.

Pennsylvania's four confirmed deaths may not show up promptly, or fully, in the federal count that shapes national policy debate.

The Argument for Parental Choice, and Its Limits

Parents who decline the MMR vaccine for religious, philosophical, or health-access reasons argue it's their right to make that call for their own children, and that broad mandates override individual judgment. That's a legitimate position rooted in parental authority over child-rearing decisions.

But the coroners' findings in Mifflin and Jefferson counties address the underlying biology clearly. All four Pennsylvanians who died this year were unvaccinated, and the MMR vaccine, given in two doses, provides 97% lifetime protection against measles, according to CBS News. The open question isn't whether the vaccine works. It's why Pennsylvania, unlike six other states battling active outbreaks, hasn't asked the CDC for direct help in stopping the spread.