An unvaccinated Lancaster County resident has died after testing positive for measles, the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed Wednesday, Sept. 30.
The death is the fifth measles-associated fatality in the state since mid-August and the third in Lancaster County alone. All five are the first measles deaths in Pennsylvania in 35 years. Montgomery County has no outbreak-linked cases, but the county is offering free MMR vaccines at community clinics as the virus spreads statewide.
The state reported 943 confirmed cases across 39 counties as of Sept. 30, including 40 new cases since Sept. 28. Lancaster County leads with 381 cases. Chester County, in suburban Philadelphia, had 83, the third-highest total, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
At least 176 people have been hospitalized statewide. About one-third of confirmed cases have been in children under 18, and at least six babies have been born with congenital measles during the outbreak, according to NBC News. Nearly all cases have been in unvaccinated people; only four involved vaccinated individuals.
The department did not release identifying details about the person who died, citing state privacy laws.
No outbreak cases in Montgomery County
The Montgomery County Office of Public Health said as of Friday, Sept. 25 that no cases in the county were associated with the outbreak. A late-September Patch report listed three total Montgomery County cases, though it is unclear whether those are linked to the outbreak.
The county is offering free MMR vaccines at community clinics this fall. Upcoming dates include:
- Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., 654 N. Easton Road, Glenside
- Saturday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., Davenport Elementary School, 1 East Oak Street, Norristown
- Monday, Oct. 19, 3:30–7 p.m., 175 West Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia
- Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m., Montgomery County Community College, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell
Walk-ins are welcome. Appointments can be scheduled at montgomerycountypa.gov/immunizations or by calling 610-278-5145 (Norristown), 610-970-5040 (Pottstown), or 215-784-5415 (Willow Grove).
Dr. Richard Lorraine, medical director of the Montgomery County Office of Public Health, encouraged residents in a Sept. 8 announcement to check their vaccination status and stay current on recommended immunizations as the state continues to respond to measles cases.
Statewide response
The outbreak, which began in late April, is the largest in Pennsylvania in three decades and the highest case count of any state this year. State health center staff have administered more than 5,500 MMR vaccinations at 180 pop-up clinics in affected communities since it began.
Statewide, providers administered more than 53,000 MMR doses in September, more than double the typical monthly volume of about 25,000, according to the health department.
The two-dose MMR vaccine provides 97% lifetime protection. Measles spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes and can remain infectious on surfaces for up to two hours.
Residents who suspect exposure or symptoms should call their health care provider or the state's toll-free hotline at 877-724-3258. Montgomery County residents should call their provider or the county Office of Public Health at 610-278-5117 before leaving home to reduce exposure risk.
