3rd Death Linked to Measles in Pennsylvania

A measles outbreak that has gripped Pennsylvania has now been linked to a third death in the state, the Washington Post reports. A 40-year-old unvaccinated woman with multiple chronic conditions died Saturday of respiratory failure linked to a "probable" measles case, county coroner Greg Furlong said. The Jefferson County resident had classic measles symptoms and recent contact with a neighbor whose infection was lab-confirmed. Final tests are expected this week.

The state Health Department says it is still reviewing the case. CDC Director Erica Schwartz said that the federal agency has not been formally notified and that Pennsylvania has not requested federal outbreak support, unlike several other states. The death comes amid rising measles cases in Pennsylvania—at least 676 so far this year—and a heated political fight over vaccines and how measles deaths are classified. The state's two previous measles-linked deaths this year were both infants, the AP reports.

"Many people associate measles with a childhood illness, but it can lead to severe complications in individuals of any age," Jefferson County's chief deputy coroner and public relations officer tells WTAE. "Measles is highly contagious and can result in serious respiratory illness, hospitalization, and in rare cases like this, death."