Coroner Confirms Measles Killed Pennsylvania Infant As Federal Count Still Lags

Key TakeawaysA Pennsylvania coroner says measles killed one of two infants who died in the state last monthThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet counted either death in national totalsPennsylvania's measles outbreak has grown to more than 620 cases across 37 counties this year.THURSDAY, Sept. 10, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A Pennsylvania coroner has confirmed that measles killed one of two infants who died in the state last month, but federal health officials still are not counting either death in the national measles tally.Dr. Stephen Diamantoni, the coroner in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, said Wednesday that he has shared his conclusions with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Associated Press reports.Mary Stoltzfus was 6 weeks old when she died at home Aug. 18. She was born with Amish lethal microcephaly, a rare inherited condition that causes an unusually small head and an underdeveloped brain. Children born with it typically live six months or less.The condition left her with very little defense against infection, and a measles infection killed her, Diamantoni told AP News. His office did not perform an autopsy on the girl. Her cause of death was determined by the doctors treating her.Ivan Miller died Aug. 14, shortly after he was born, of a ruptured spleen. Diamantoni's office did perform an autopsy on the boy, he said. Exactly how and when the spleen ruptured is still under investigation.The boy was infected with measles, and the virus is listed on his death certificate as a contributing factor. But Diamantoni said measles played no role in the spleen injury and is noted only because it was a significant condition the boy had when he died.The first dose of measles vaccine is usually given around age 1, meaning neither infant was old enough to receive it for protection from the virus's spread.The CDC's measles webpage briefly listed two measles-associated deaths, then was changed to say the agency would not count them until it reviewed more information. The page, last updated Friday, still does not reflect either death.The deaths also set off a public clash between Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat who said vaccination could have prevented them, and U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who suggested the deaths might have been made up, reports AP News. Kennedy has a long history of vaccine skepticism.Both deaths are documented in official records, including an autopsy in one case, and Kennedy acknowledged the coroner's measles finding in a social media post last week.The dispute has left some public health leaders uneasy about federal data."Frankly, the CDC is not to be trusted in sharing information," Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, told AP News. He said people are questioning the agency's motives.Meanwhile, the state's outbreak keeps growing. As of Wednesday, Pennsylvania had recorded more than 620 measles cases in 37 counties this year, state officials said.The U.S. once halted the routine spread of measles within its borders. However, vaccination rates have since slipped below the 95% coverage needed to prevent outbreaks.International health officials plan to meet in November to decide whether the United States has lost its measles-free status.More informationVisit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information about measles vaccination.SOURCE: AP News, Sept. 9, 2026.What This Means For YouBabies younger than 1 year are too young for the measles vaccine, so their protection depends on the people around them. People should make sure everyone in their household is up to date on their shots..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Coroner Confirms Measles Killed Pennsylvania Infant As Federal Count Still Lags

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