Nearly six weeks after reporting its first measles-related death in more than 35 years, Pennsylvania officials say a sixth person has died amid the ongoing outbreak.
The Franklin County, Pennsylvania, coroner confirmed that a 39-year-old woman died Saturday after being treated for measles. The coroner said the woman had several underlying health conditions but that her death met the criteria to be considered a measles-associated death.
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The coroner did not say whether the woman had been vaccinated.
Pennsylvania has confirmed 1,078 measles cases across 41 counties so far in 2026, according to the state Department of Health. State health officials say 207 people have been hospitalized in connection with measles.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recognized only two of the deaths reported in Pennsylvania as it works to “develop a standardized case definition for deaths due to measles.” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has accused Pennsylvania health officials of overstating the outbreak and said the deaths “may even have been altogether fabricated.”
The World Health Organization says a death should be considered measles-related when a person diagnosed with measles dies within 30 days of the onset of a rash and the death is not due to an unrelated cause.
Public health officials continue to recommend the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine as the most effective protection against the highly contagious virus. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles, according to the CDC.
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The Trump administration recently announced changes to federal vaccine guidance involving measles, mumps and rubella immunizations.
Children are routinely vaccinated against measles between 12 and 15 months of age and again between ages 4 and 6, before entering kindergarten. Infants as young as 6 months can receive the vaccine in certain higher-risk situations.
According to the CDC, measles can cause:
- Pneumonia
- Brain damage
- Blindness
- Deafness
- Diarrhea
- Premature birth or low birth weight in pregnant women who contract measles
- Immune system damage that can increase vulnerability to other diseases
The World Health Organization says herd immunity against measles can be achieved when about 95% of a community is vaccinated.
One editorial note: Because the Pennsylvania death count, CDC recognition of deaths and Kennedy quote are potentially contentious and current claims, I’d recommend verifying those specific figures and wording against the latest official sources immediately before publication.
