A sixth person in Pennsylvania who had measles has died, according to a local coroner, The Washington Post reports. The death was announced by the Franklin County coroner as the state's outbreak continues to intensify, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
WGAL identifies the person as a Franklin County woman and describes the death as measles-associated, the sixth such death in the state.
The fatality comes as measles activity rises across the country. The Hill reports that confirmed U.S. measles cases have passed 4,000, with Pennsylvania accounting for more than a quarter of them.
The outbreak is not confined to one part of the state. Allegheny County's outbreak has grown to two cases, and both patients attend the same school, according to 90.5 WESA.
The reports do not include the ages of the people who died, their vaccination status, or whether measles was listed as the underlying cause of death. The coroner's description of the death as measles-associated leaves those details to be confirmed by health authorities.
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus, and outbreaks typically spread fastest among people who are unvaccinated or who have not completed the recommended two-dose schedule. Public health officials track each case to identify exposure sites and close contacts.
What to watch next: whether state and county health departments release additional details on the six deaths and whether case counts in Pennsylvania and Allegheny County continue to climb.
