2 more measles-associated deaths reported in Pennsylvania as statewide outbreak grows to nearly 700 cases

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Two more people in Pennsylvania have died from the highly contagious measles virus, state officials announced Tuesday.

One person lived in Jefferson County and the other in Mifflin County, and both were unvaccinated, according to the state Department of Health.

State leaders did not disclose any other information, but according to a social media post by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office on Sunday, one of the fatalities included a 40-year-old woman who died on Sept. 12 “from complications associated with measles.”

“This is a heartbreaking loss for the family and an unfortunate reminder that measles can be a serious and potentially life-threatening disease,” Coroner Greg Furlong said in the post. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time. We ask that the public and media respect their privacy as they mourn the loss of their loved one.”

The other fatality was an 18-year-old from Mifflin County, whose cause of death was acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, “a rare and severe neurological complication of measles,” Coroner Andrea Alcalde said in a statement Tuesday.

These cases are in addition to two other measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania reported last month. Both occurred among infants in Lancaster County.

The four total deaths in the state are the first measles-related fatalities reported in the United States so far this year.

Measles has infected 693 people across 38 counties in Pennsylvania so far this year, according to state data.

“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,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen. “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.”

Public health experts and physicians in Pennsylvania are urging adults and children to get the recommended two-dose vaccination series for measles, mumps and rubella, known as MMR.

Full vaccination is about 97% effective in preventing measles infection and illness, health officials stated.