More Americans are dying from the once-nearly vanquished disease measles as health officials in Pennsylvania announced the death of an adult women from the viral infection over the weekend.
On Saturday, the Jefferson County Pennsylvania Coroner’s Office reported that a 40-year-old woman had died earlier in the day from measles-related complications. The woman was unvaccinated, and it’s the third death linked to measles in the state as of late, though both local and federal officials have clashed about the relevance of measles to the prior two deaths.
“This is a heartbreaking loss for the family and an unfortunate reminder that measles can be a serious and potentially life-threatening disease,” said Jefferson County coroner Greg Furlong in a statement released by the office. “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.”
Rare but real deaths
There have been nearly 3,300 reported cases of measles in the U.S. this year, as of September 10, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This year’s toll is higher than it was in 2025, which already saw the most cases reported stateside in 30 years. There have been 38 separate outbreaks scattered across the country in 2026, with almost all cases tied to an outbreak.
Pennsylvania has been one of the states hit hardest by measles this year, with 676 cases confirmed across 37 counties as of late last week, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. More than 50 cases have been reported since the first week of September. In total, 124 residents have been hospitalized. Only four of the cases (less than 1%) were vaccinated prior to getting sick. Measles vaccination, provided via the combination measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR) is highly effective at preventing infection.
In late August, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported two measles-associated deaths in Lancaster County—the first recorded in the state in 35 years and the first reported in the U.S. this year. Both occurred in infants not yet eligible to have been vaccinated. Though the CDC initially listed these deaths in its tally, the agency soon reversed course at the request of Robert F. Kennedy Jr, head of U.S. Health and Human Services; Kennedy also argued that the deaths could have been “altogether fabricated” by the office of democratic Governor Josh Shapiro for political gain.
Adding to the chaos, the Lancaster County coroner then claimed that one of the deaths occurred in a newborn who was infected with measles via the mother and died from a ruptured spleen. He further stated that he was obligated to list measles as a potential contributing cause to the child’s death, but that he ultimately did not believe it caused the child’s death.
Other experts have noted that congenital measles infections can indeed cause a ruptured spleen, though it may never be certain whether it did so in this case, while the family has stated they believe measles caused their child’s death. The coroner’s office later determined that measles was the primary cause of death for the second infant, a six-week baby.
Though RFK Jr. acknowledged this death, he also emphasized the fact that the child was born with an unrelated hereditary condition that would have likely shortened their life expectancy. Despite this begrudging acknowledgement, the CDC has still not listed either death on its official tally as of Monday.
Lessons learned
The woman in this latest death was unvaccinated, though officials have stated that they will not be releasing any further details about the case, citing privacy concerns. Notably, while breakthrough cases are possible in people who are vaccinated, the vaccine can also reduce the severity of measles infections when they rarely occur.
“While cases of severe illness remain uncommon, this tragedy highlights that measles should not be taken lightly. Public health measures, early recognition of symptoms, and consultation with healthcare providers are important tools in protecting our community,” said Jason Striver, chief deputy coroner and public relations officer for the Jefferson County Pennsylvania Coroner’s Office, in a statement.
Of course, the major takeaway here is practically none of these cases nor deaths should be happening in the first place. The U.S. had locally eradicated measles by the year 2000, with most cases since then being travel-related until recently. This isn’t the first time that the U.S. has threatened to lose its measles-free status, but after two years of continuous outbreaks, it’s almost certain that measles has officially regained a foothold in the country. Other parts of the world are facing similar resurgences of measles, but that shouldn’t make RFK Jr.—a man with a long history of spreading misinformation about vaccines, the MMR included—any less culpable for its return here.
Worrying as these outbreaks are, vaccination remains the most critical tool to getting measles back under control.
