SUMMERVILLE, Pa. – A county in western Pennsylvania reported its first measles-related death Saturday, marking the third for the state.
Jefferson County Coroner Greg Furlong said a 40-year-old woman of the county died on Sept. 12 from complications associated with measles.
Jason Stiver, Jefferson County’s chief deputy coroner and public relations officer, emphasized the importance of public awareness regarding the disease.
“Many people associate measles with a childhood illness, but it can lead to severe complications in individuals of any age,” Stiver said in a public statement. “Measles is highly contagious and can result in serious respiratory illness, hospitalization, and in rare cases like this, death.”
Last month, the Pennsylvania Department of Health said two unvaccinated Lancaster County residents — reportedly both infants — died in connection with measles.
However, that became a point of controversy as the nation’s top health official questioned whether one of the deaths should be attributed to measles after the Lancaster County coroner said the infant died from a ruptured spleen — not measles. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also accused Pennsylvania of not sharing related information.
One of two Lancaster County residents whose deaths were associated with measles was an infant. Officials say both people who died were unvaccinated.
At that time, Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen pushed back, saying her department investigated both cases and confirmed both individuals tested positive for measles. Officials said “measles-associated death” means measles was detected in the person who died, while it does not necessarily mean measles was the direct cause of death.
Meanwhile, Gov. Josh Shapiro claimed Kennedy is spreading conspiracy theories regarding vaccine components.
On the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, the count for 2026 measles deaths in the U.S. shows an asterisk as of Sept. 13, noting, “The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) does not currently have any death records from 2026 that indicate measles is the underlying cause.”
The Pennsylvania website, however, states that there have been two measles-associated deaths through its last update on Sept. 11. The website is updated at 2 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.