A sixth measles-related death is reported in Pennsylvania

A sixth measles-related death was reported Monday in Pennsylvania, involving a 39-year-old woman in Franklin County, amid the state’s largest outbreak in three decades.

In a statement, the county’s coroner office said the woman had underlying medical conditions, though it did not provide specifics. A spokesperson for the Franklin County coroner’s office said the “primary cause of death was a probable acute cardiac event due to possible complications of the measles.”

Cardiac complications from measles can happen, but are uncommon.

The woman had not been vaccinated, the spokesperson said.

The state’s health department considers a death to be “measles-associated” if it occurred within 30 days of symptom onset and there is clinical evidence of a measles infection and a positive laboratory test. It also takes into account the person’s medical records and whether they were exposed to measles before they died.

As of Friday, Pennsylvania had confirmed 1,136 measles cases, with 219 hospitalizations. Two-thirds of those cases were diagnosed in adults.

The Pennsylvania health department said in an email Monday that it was aware of the Franklin County coroner’s announcement, and “is conducting a thorough review of the reported death.”

The death announced Monday is the sixth in less than…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/health