Another measles death reported in Mifflin County

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(The Center Square) – A fourth person exposed to measles died in Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

Mifflin County Coroner Andrea Alcalde said an 18-year-old resident succumbed to the illness after suffering from a “rare and severe” neurological complication called acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.

The state Department of Health classified the death as measles-associated, Gov. Josh Shapiro said on social media. The commonwealth’s measles dashboard, however, has not yet updated to include the latest statistics.

Another case under investigation involved a 40-year-old woman in Summerville, who died from the virus’s complications on Saturday. Jefferson County Coroner Greg Furlong confirmed the news in a statement on Sunday, saying no more identifying information would be released.

"This is a heartbreaking loss for the family and an unfortunate reminder that measles can be a serious and potentially life-threatening disease," he said. "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 department told The Center Square on Monday it was still reviewing the case, and it is not clear that it is among the four Shapiro identified.

Two infants also died in Lancaster County last month. That figure is disputed among local officials there, including the county coroner and forensic pathologist. They say a ruptured spleen suffered shortly after childbirth caused one of the newborn’s deaths.

The second death, however, was confirmed to be of a 6-week-old infant diagnosed with Amish fatal microcephaly, a rare genetic condition.

The MMR vaccine – which stands for measles, mumps and rubella – isn’t administered until infants are at least 1-year-old. An early dose, between 6 and 11 months, is only recommended when active cases exist. A second dose is given before starting elementary school.

Four cases have been diagnosed in vaccinated individuals, as well, according to the state.

Jefferson County Chief Deputy Coroner and Public Relations Officer Jason Stiver said on Sunday that associating measles with childhood illnesses deemphasizes the impact of severe complications in adults, too.

“Measles is highly contagious and can result in serious respiratory illness, hospitalization, and in rare cases like this, death,” he said. “We encourage residents to stay informed, follow guidance from public health officials, and take appropriate steps to protect themselves and their families."

The state said that it will rely on the epidemiological case definition for a measles-associated death, which requires a laboratory confirmation of the virus; or living or working in a geographically defined area where community transmission is occurring, as determined by public health authorities; or domestic or international travel, transit, or residence in a geographic area where community transmission is occurring.

Shapiro on Tuesday called it the “worst measles outbreak in the country” and said 696 cases have been recorded since the beginning of the year, impacting 38 out of 67 counties.

“This disease was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000 – yet decades later, we are seeing it surge due to lower vaccination rates,” he said before blaming Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for “stoking vaccine skepticism.”

Critics, however, like Lancaster County Commissioner Josh Parsons, have blamed ever-changing pandemic-era public health measures for eroding Americans’ trust in vaccinations.

“And that's really the lesson that we learned out of COVID, which is a lot of people are very distrustful of government, very distrustful of medical officials now and health officials, because of what happened during COVID, so you have to be very careful and provide accurate information," he said.