Franklin County woman's death is Pennsylvania's sixth linked to measles this year

A 39-year-old Franklin County woman has died after being diagnosed with measles, marking the sixth measles-associated death reported in Pennsylvania this year, officials said Monday.

FOX 29 reported that the Franklin County Coroner's Office looked into the woman's Oct. 10 death. The coroner said she had several underlying health problems, among them an earlier measles diagnosis that had been treated. According to FOX 29, the coroner has not specified the other conditions and is withholding identifying details to protect her family's privacy.

NBC10, citing NBC News, reported that a coroner's office spokesperson said she most likely died of a sudden heart problem that may have stemmed from measles complications.

The outlets differ on her vaccination status. NBC10 reported that the spokesperson told NBC News she was unvaccinated, while FOX 29 reported the coroner had not addressed the question.

The coroner's office said the case fits the state health department's criteria for a measles-associated death, FOX 29 reported. Those criteria call for death within a month of the first symptoms, along with signs of the illness, laboratory confirmation and no other explanation for the death. The coroner described it as the county's first death in many years involving a recent measles diagnosis. NBC10 reported that state health officials told NBC News they are reviewing the case closely.

Franklin joins Jefferson, Mifflin and Lancaster as counties reporting deaths in the outbreak, with Lancaster accounting for three, 6abc reported, citing the state health department. Citing Reuters, FOX 29 reported that each of the five earlier victims was unvaccinated.

State data last updated Oct. 9 counts 1,136 cases so far in 2026 and 219 hospitalizations, according to NBC10. 6abc reported that over 99% of cases are in people who had not been vaccinated. NBC10 said the next state update is expected Wednesday, Oct. 14, delayed by Monday's holiday.

According to NBC10, Lancaster County leads the state with 415 cases, Mifflin County is second with 167 and Chester County is third with 87. NBC10 reported that Chester County officials cautioned residents last week that people may have been exposed on Oct. 4 at a Giant grocery store and two CVS locations. Oxford Area High School shut down Oct. 9 because of a reported case, then reopened Monday while telling unvaccinated students and employees to stay home for as long as 21 days, NBC10 reported.

Across the country, the CDC had tallied 4,080 cases as of Oct. 9, the most since 1991, with Pennsylvania making up over a quarter of them, FOX 29 reported. The federal tracker shows only two Pennsylvania deaths. FOX 29 said that since September the CDC has counted a measles death only after federal vital statistics records name measles as the underlying cause, a process that can take weeks.

NBC10 reported that health officials urge the MMR vaccine as the most effective way to avoid catching measles.

Compiled by True News from reporting by 6abc Action News, CBS Philadelphia, FOX 29 Philadelphia and NBC10 Philadelphia. Each outlet's original story is linked below.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/87