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Measles killed 6-week-old baby, coroner confirms after RFK Jr. disputed deaths
Ars Technica • • health
Key Points:
- A six-week-old baby girl in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, died from measles, confirmed by the county coroner, despite the infant having a genetic condition called Amish lethal microcephaly.
- This death is one of two measles-related infant deaths recently reported by Pennsylvania health officials, sparking controversy after anti-vaccine advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. falsely claimed the deaths were fabricated.
- The CDC removed these deaths from its public data at Kennedy's request, though they remain in internal databases, raising concerns about transparency and accurate public health reporting.
- The second infant death involved a newborn boy from an Amish family; while the coroner cited a ruptured spleen as the cause, experts argue measles likely contributed, highlighting the disease's severity.
- Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro condemned Kennedy's misinformation, urging accurate reporting and adherence to medical expertise to protect public health amid ongoing measles outbreaks.
