Pennsylvania officials have reported a fourth measles-associated death, involving an 18-year-old resident of Mifflin County. The cause was acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, a severe neurological complication of measles, according to the county coroner’s office.
This follows the recent death of a 40-year-old woman from Jefferson County due to measles complications and the deaths of two infants in Lancaster County last month. State health officials confirmed that none of the four individuals were vaccinated; the infants were too young for vaccination according to current recommendations.
Pennsylvania is currently experiencing its worst measles outbreak in more than 35 years, with nearly 700 illnesses reported across 38 counties this year, including approximately 100 cases in the past week. The state’s health secretary, Dr. Debra Bogen, expressed condolences to the affected families and reiterated a commitment to curbing the outbreak through education and access to the MMR vaccine.
The United States is facing its most significant measles surge since 1991, with seven reported measles-associated deaths in the last two years. This figure exceeds the combined total of reported deaths over the preceding three decades. The nation had eliminated the domestic spread of measles in 2000, a status dependent on maintaining vaccination rates above 95%. However, these rates have declined in recent years due to factors including parental waivers, healthcare access issues, and the spread of misinformation.
Internationally, health officials are set to convene in November to assess whether the U.S. and Mexico have lost their measles-free status. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted a concerning trend of declining routine childhood vaccination rates, with some administrations previously questioning vaccine safety and defunding local efforts to improve immunization coverage.