A 40-year-old unvaccinated woman in Pennsylvania has died from complications associated with measles, marking the third measles-related death in the United States and the worst resurgence of the disease in 35 years. The Jefferson County Coroner confirmed the death on Saturday.
As of Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 3,294 measles cases in the U.S. This figure represents an increase of 1,005 cases compared to the total for the previous year, which recorded 2,289 cases. This year's total is the highest in three decades.
Pennsylvania has reported 676 measles cases as of Friday, resulting in 124 hospitalizations. The state Department of Health is investigating the recent fatality, and officials confirmed the woman was unvaccinated.
The two previous measles-related fatalities in Pennsylvania were infants who died the week prior to the most recent death. Ivan S Miller, a newborn from Strasburg Township, died on August 14. His cause of death was listed as a ruptured spleen, with measles as a contributing factor. Six-week-old Mary S Stoltzfus of Fulton Township died on August 18 from cardiac arrest due to measles. She also had Amish lethal microcephaly, a fatal genetic condition.
Neither infant was old enough to receive the measles vaccine, as the first dose is typically administered between 12 and 15 months of age. The second dose is usually given between four and six years of age.
Measles is a highly contagious disease that can cause serious illness, particularly in young children and adults over 20. The CDC states that two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine reduce the risk of infection by 97 percent. For unvaccinated individuals, approximately nine out of ten people exposed to the virus will become infected.
Symptoms of measles typically begin with cold-like signs such as fever, cough, and a runny or blocked nose. This is often followed by a characteristic blotchy rash that starts on the face and spreads downwards. Tiny white spots inside the mouth, known as Koplik spots, can also appear.
The virus spreads through direct contact with infectious droplets or via airborne transmission. Individuals with measles are contagious from four days before the rash appears until four days after. Enclosed spaces like airports and airplanes are considered high-risk environments for disease transmission. Complications from measles are more common in children younger than five and adults older than 20. The death rate for unvaccinated adults contracting measles is estimated at one to three deaths per 1,000 cases.