Pennsylvania has reported its sixth death linked to a measles outbreak as the number of confirmed cases in the state surpasses 1,100. The latest fatality occurred in Franklin County and involved a 39-year-old woman with multiple underlying health conditions, including a previous diagnosis of measles. The county coroner, James Conner, described it as the first measles-related death in the area in many years and confirmed the case met the state health department’s criteria for classification.
Since the outbreak began in April, primarily in the region west of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has recorded a total of 1,137 cases and 219 hospitalizations. Health officials attribute the surge to low vaccination rates. The outbreak is part of a broader national increase in measles cases, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting 4,080 confirmed infections across 42 outbreaks in the United States as of the previous Friday—the highest incidence recorded in decades and nearly twice the number documented for all of 2025.
Despite Pennsylvania’s announcement of six deaths, the CDC’s count stands at two nationwide, reflecting a disagreement over classification methods between Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and federal Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy. The CDC’s figures have not yet incorporated the state’s higher fatality numbers.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed awareness of the Franklin County death and indicated an ongoing review of the case. A spokesperson for the coroner’s office stated that the woman likely died from an acute cardiac event potentially related to measles complications and noted she was unvaccinated. The coroner’s office has withheld the victim’s identity to protect family privacy.
State health officials continue to urge medical professionals, first responders, and the public to adhere to Pennsylvania’s vaccination guidelines, which call for two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine or the combined MMRV vaccine, which also protects against varicella (chickenpox) for children aged 12 and older. These recommendations align with those from the CDC.
The ongoing outbreak has seen 157 new cases in the past week, with approximately one-third of all infected individuals aged 18 or younger. Less than 1% of cases have occurred in fully vaccinated persons. The five previous fatalities in Pennsylvania involved infants and adults with coexisting medical conditions—the first two deaths reported in August were infants, one born to a mother who had measles during pregnancy and another infant with a rare genetic disorder. The other victims included women aged 18, 20, and 40.
The nationwide resurgence in measles has prompted other states, including New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah, to report significant increases in cases. New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a public health emergency earlier in October. Meanwhile, federal health messaging on vaccination has been inconsistent. Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, a known vaccine skeptic, has delivered conflicting statements—initially questioning vaccine effectiveness and expressing support for choice, but later encouraging families to vaccinate children amidst rising case numbers.