CIDRAP-Pennsylvania reports its 6th measles death, in a Franklin County resident

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Pennsylvania reports its 6th measles death, in a Franklin County resident

www.cidrap.umn.edu

Pennsylvania reports its 6th measles death, in a Franklin County resident​

Stephanie Soucheray, MA

October 12, 2026
Measles


Today, Franklin County, Pennsylvania health officials announced the state’s sixth measles-associated death in a 39-year-old woman who was unvaccinated against the virus. The woman also had multiple underlying health conditions, including a previous measles infection that was treated, the county coroner said.

“This is the first death in Franklin County in many years with a patient with a recent history of a measles diagnosis and meets the definition set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Health for a measles-associated death,” the coroner’s office said.

A spokesperson for Franklin County told NBC news the “primary cause of death was a probable acute cardiac event due to possible complications of the measles.” In Pennsylvania, a death is “measles-associated” if it occurred within 30 days of symptom onset and there is both clinical evidence and a positive laboratory test for measles.

This is the first death in Franklin County in many years with a patient with a recent history of a measles diagnosis.

So far this year, the state has reported five measles deaths, including those of two infants; a 20-year-old woman with leukemia who was undergoing chemotherapy; a 40-year-old woman with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and an 18-year-old who developed disseminated encephalomyelitis, a rare neurologic complication of measles.

Three deaths have occurred in Lancaster County, including the infant deaths, and Mifflin County and Jefferson County have each reported a fatal infection.

CDC still notes only 2 measles deaths​

The United States is seeing a historic resurgence of measles, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting 4,080 cases so far this year, the most measles cases since 1991.

Pennsylvania has the most measles cases in the country, with 1,136 cases, including 157 reported in the past 7 days. One-third of the state’s cases have occurred in adults. A total of 219 people have been hospitalized, for a hospitalization rate of roughly 19%. As of this afternoon, the state’s measles website still reflects only five deaths.

The CDC notes only two deaths this year from measles and is said to be working with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) to develop a standardized case definition for death due to measles. Neither the CSTE nor the CDC responded today to CIDRAP News’ request for comment on the progress of standardizing case definitions.

The CDC’s dashboard shows that 40% of measles cases this year are in adults, but in Pennsylvania adults make up 67% of measles cases. Adults nationwide have a 14% hospitalization rate, compared with 5% for kids aged 5 to 10.