The measles deaths are the first reported in the United States this year amid a 35-year high in infections. <\/p>\n
\u201cJust today, we received a report of another child who died with measles, and we\u2019re in the process of doing an investigation,\u201d Lancaster County Coroner, Dr. Stephen Diamantoni, told WHTM<\/a> Wednesday.<\/p>\n It is unclear if the second death reported by the coroner is further clarification of two deaths already reported, or if this brings the death toll to three. The Independent has asked the Lancaster County corner for clarification. <\/p>\n There has been unusual friction between the state and the federal government after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asked his CDC director last weekend to remove a reference to the two Pennsylvania fatalities from the agency\u2019s online measles tracker after questioning whether the virus contributed to the deaths<\/a>, according to a new report.<\/p>\n CDC staffers had accepted the state\u2019s characterization of the deaths as linked to measles before recently-appointed Director Erica Schwartz ordered the removal, Reuters<\/a> reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. <\/p>\n On Friday, the CDC tracker of annual measles deaths in the U.S.<\/a> was at zero.<\/p>\n A Health and Human Services spokesperson told Reuters the CDC had requested details needed to determine the cause of the deaths from the state but did not comment on Kennedy’s or Schwartz\u2019s reported actions.<\/p>\n On Friday, HHS pointed The Independent to a social media post<\/a> calling the story \u201cfalse and misleading\u201d and saying the decision about removing the deaths was made by the CDC.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Health Department told The Independent Tuesday that every reported measles case is \u201cthoroughly reviewed to confirm it meets the CDC\u2019s case definition<\/a> for a measles case.\u201d<\/p>\n Diamantoni contested the cause of one of the deaths reported by the department last month. He told WGAL<\/a> that a ruptured the spleen of a newborn infected with measles was the actual cause of death.<\/p>\n That drew outrage from doctors including Philadelphia pediatrician Dr. Paul Offit, who told <\/a>The Independent<\/a> not saying the cause of death was measles was \u201cabsurd.\u201d<\/p>\n The Independent has contacted Diamantoni for comment on the measles deaths, Pennsylvania\u2019s first in 35 years.<\/p>\n This Pennsylvania Department of Health shows measles cases across the state’s counties this year. The darkest blue counties have the most cases (Pennsylvania Department of Health)<\/p>\n The CDC told The Independent earlier this week that the agency was unable to confirm the deaths as from measles based on the information available to the agency. The CDC has not said what information it will rely on to determine whether the Pennsylvania deaths were caused by measles.<\/p>\n Measles causes brain-swelling, fever and pneumonia, with the majority of infections in people who have not been vaccinated. Two doses of the MMR vaccine – which also protects against the mumps and rubella – are 97 percent effective against infection, offering lifelong protection, according to the CDC.<\/p>\n The nation\u2019s ongoing resurgence in measles cases is fueled by rising vaccine hesitancy spurred by misinformation, experts previously told<\/a>The Independent<\/a>. Figures from the CDC and state agencies show that vaccination rates have been falling<\/a> since before the pandemic.<\/p>\n Pennsylvania is one of the states with the highest number of cases, CDC data last updated August 30 shows. The state reported 540 cases on Tuesday<\/a>, with 242 in Lancaster County<\/a> alone.<\/p>\n With additional reporting from Reuters<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Independent and Yahoo will earn a commission from purchases made via links in this article. 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