A 40-year-old woman in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania has died of complications from measles, according to the county's coroner.
It marks the third vaccine-preventable, measles-linked death in the US this year. All three have occurred in Pennsylvania, which is experiencing an explosive outbreak that has caused over 670 cases and 124 hospitalizations across 37 counties. Prior to these deaths, Pennsylvania had not reported a measles death in 35 years.
In a news release dated September 12, Jefferson County Coroner Greg Furlong said the death in the woman was "a heartbreaking loss for the family and an unfortunate reminder that measles can be a serious and potentially life-threatening disease."
