A Pennsylvania woman has died from measles complications, marking the third death in the state – and the US overall – as the nation is hit with the worst resurgence in 35 years.
The victim, a 40-year-old woman from Jefferson County, died from ‘complications associated with measles’ on Saturday, county Coroner Greg Furlong said.
‘This is a heartbreaking loss for the family and an unfortunate reminder that measles can be a serious and potentially life-threatening disease,’ Furlong said in a Facebook statement.
Pennsylvania has reported 676 measles cases as of Friday, with 124 hospitalizations. Nearly all the state’s cases are among unvaccinated individuals.
Saturday’s death follows two infants who also died in the state last week from the disease, the first measles-linked fatalities to be reported in 2026.
As of Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 3,294 cases of measles in the US, the most in three decades and 1,005 more cases than all of last year, when there were 2,289 cases.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health says they are investigating the measles-related fatality. Furlong confirmed to local outlets that the 40-year-old woman was unvaccinated.
No additional details surrounding the woman’s death have been released.
A 40-year-old Pennsylvania woman died Saturday due to ‘measles-related complications’ (stock image)
MMR vaccines (center) sit inside a medical refrigerator. The shot is typically given once between ages 12 and 15 months and again between ages four and six
Jefferson County Chief Deputy Coroner and Public Relations Officer Jason Stiver said in a statement preventing the spread of measles remains a public health priority: ‘While cases of severe illness remain uncommon, this tragedy highlights that measles should not be taken lightly.
‘Public health measures, early recognition of symptoms, and consultation with healthcare providers are important tools in protecting our community,’ Stiver continued.
The first two measles-related deaths were newborn baby Ivan S Miller from Strasburg Township in Lancaster County, and six-week-old Mary S Stoltzfus from Fulton Township.
Neither was old enough to be vaccinated; the first dose of the measles vaccine is typically given at around 1 year of age.
Miller died on August 14, according to a coroner’s report obtained by local media.
His cause of death was listed as a ruptured spleen, a life-threatening condition that can lead to major internal bleeding, with measles listed as a contributing factor.
Stoltzfus died on August 18. Her cause of death was cardiac arrest due to measles. It was also noted that she had Amish lethal microcephaly, a fatal genetic condition found in the Amish community that causes children to die within five to six months of birth.
The spleen is a vital organ on the left side of the body just below the ribcage that filters blood and holds white blood cells.
During a measles infection, it can become enlarged or swollen. If pressure is put on the organ, this may raise the risk of it rupturing and causing life-threatening internal bleeding. Emergency surgery is needed to close the organ when it ruptures.
In Amish lethal microcephaly, infants are born with an unusually small head and underdeveloped brain. They may have seizures and difficulty maintaining their body temperature.
The above map shows the states in the US that have the most measles cases nationwide
Cold-like symptoms, such as a fever, cough and a runny or blocked nose, are usually the first signal of measles
The condition is severe and predisposes infants to infections, including measles, that could lead to their deaths.
Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known to man and is a particularly serious infection for young children.
The vast majority of measles cases in both 2025 and 2026 were in individuals who had not received both doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
The shot is typically given once between ages 12 and 15 months and again between ages four and six. Two doses slash the risk of measles infection by 97 percent, according to the CDC. For unvaccinated people, nine in ten of those exposed to the virus will get infected.
Measles can cause serious illness in adults – complications are more common in children younger than five years and adults older than 20 years, according to the CDC.
An unvaccinated adult who contracts measles faces a higher risk of severe complications and hospitalization than school-aged children. The death rate for unvaccinated adults who contract measles is one to three deaths per 1,000 cases.
Measles is characterized by cough, fever, a distinctive blotchy rash that starts on the face before spreading down the body and tiny white spots inside the mouth called Koplik spots.
The virus spreads through direct contact with infectious droplets or through the air. Patients with a measles infection are contagious from four days before the rash through four days after the rash appears.
Enclosed areas like airports and planes are extremely risky locations for disease transmission.
