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Infant in Pennsylvania is one of two people reported to die of measles this week
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Two unvaccinated residents of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, including an infant, recently died of measles, marking the first measles-related deaths in the U.S. this year and the first in Pennsylvania in 35 years.
- Lancaster County has seen a decline in MMR vaccination rates among children, dropping from 95.5% in 2017 to 87.6% last year, contributing to the outbreak.
- The Pennsylvania Health Department has confirmed 424 measles cases this year, with 73 hospitalizations, and 94 new cases diagnosed in the past week alone.
- Infants between 6 and 11 months are particularly vulnerable to measles due to waning maternal antibodies and not yet receiving the MMR vaccine, which is typically administered starting at 12 months.
- Nationwide, measles cases have reached 2,777 this year, the highest in 35 years, raising concerns about the U.S. potentially losing its measles elimination status when reviewed by the Pan American Health Organization in November.
