A 40-year-old Pennsylvania woman has died after suffering measles-related complications, bringing the number of measles deaths in the state—and across the United States—to three amid the country’s worst outbreak in 35 years.
The woman, who lived in Jefferson County, died Saturday, according to County Coroner Greg Furlong. Her death was attributed to “complications associated with measles.”
“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 statement posted to Facebook.
Pennsylvania had recorded 676 measles cases and 124 hospitalizations as of Friday. Health officials say almost all of the infections in the state have involved people who were not vaccinated.
The latest death came days after two infants in Pennsylvania died from measles last week. They were the first measles-related fatalities reported in the US in 2026.
Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that 3,294 measles cases had been reported. That is the highest total in 30 years and exceeds the 2,289 cases recorded during all of last year by 1,005.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health is examining the circumstances of the latest measles-related death. Furlong told local media that the woman had not received a measles vaccination.
Officials have not provided further information about the circumstances surrounding her death.
A 40-year-old woman in Pennsylvania died Saturday after developing complications linked to measles (stock image)
MMR vaccines (center) are stored in a medical refrigerator. The routine vaccination is generally administered first at 12 to 15 months of age, followed by a second dose between ages four and six
Jason Stiver, Jefferson County’s chief deputy coroner and public relations officer, said preventing measles transmission remains an important public health goal. “Although severe illness is uncommon, this tragedy demonstrates that measles must be taken seriously,” he said.
Stiver added that community protection depends on public health precautions, recognizing symptoms quickly and seeking advice from healthcare professionals.
The state’s two earlier measles deaths involved newborn Ivan S Miller of Strasburg Township in Lancaster County and six-week-old Mary S Stoltzfus of Fulton Township.
Neither infant was old enough to receive the measles vaccine, with the first dose generally recommended at about 12 months of age.
According to a coroner’s report obtained by local media, Miller died on August 14.
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.
