(The Center Square) – Details remain sparse about the second measles-associated death reported in Lancaster County, including whether it’s the same case identified by the Department of Health on Aug. 25.
In multiple media reports, Lancaster County Coroner Stephen Diamantoni said the investigation into the death remains ongoing. The Center Square has been unable to reach Diamantoni to independently confirm the information.
Josh Parsons, a Lancaster County commissioner, told The Center Square he’s still waiting for more transparency from the state about the cases.
“And the interesting thing about that is that there is a requirement under the law that any measles death or any death from contagious disease be reported to the coroner, and there is no reports,” he said. “So you know, I’ve kind of contended either the death didn’t exist or somebody’s in violation of the law.”
The department said during its Aug. 25 press conference that the deaths are the first related to measles in 35 years. An ongoing outbreak has spread to at least 31 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, sickening almost 500 residents and hospitalizing 87.
It was later revealed that a newborn tested positive for measles after dying from a ruptured spleen. Diamantoni said the county’s forensic pathologist determined that the organ showed no swelling or other signs of infection attributable to the virus.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, however, won’t include the deaths on its webpage about the epidemic nationally pending further investigation.
Parsons said he’s not surprised at all.
“I can understand if that is the same information that CDC has, I can understand why they would want more information or be hesitant about declaring it a measles-associated death or a measles death, because all of the science, all of the information right now that we have, and I’ve been open to the fact that that may change, is on the side that says this is not a measles death,” he said.
First-term Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, while announcing the deaths, blasted U.S. Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. for rhetoric and directives that he says have lowered Americans’ trust in vaccinations.
“We hope and we pray that those deaths will be the last,” he said. “This illness and death from measles is completely preventable.”
The MMR vaccine – which stands for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella – isn’t administered until infants are at least one year old. An early dose, between 6 and 11 months, is only recommended when active cases exist. A second dose is given before starting elementary school.
Parsons argued that stringent COVID-19 vaccination rules are the true source of growing public skepticism.
“I think it’s incumbent on the people who had the press conference to provide accurate information,” he said. “And that’s really the lesson that we learned out of COVID, which is a lot of people are very distrustful of government, very distrustful of medical officials now and health officials, because of what happened during COVID, so you have to be very careful and provide accurate information.”
An unconfirmed report from The Atlantic identified the family who lost the infant as members of the Amish community. The mother, who requested not to be identified, said she was hospitalized for a severe case of measles just days before she went in labor.
Vaccination rates among Amish and Mennonite communities – of which the country’s largest concentration lives in Lancaster County – have been historically low,hovering around 25%, according to federal data.
“And I think the issue that some have is that they don’t like that they choose not to be vaccinated, and you know that’s fine,” Parsons told The Center Square. “They cannot like it, but my position is, as American citizens, they have that right to decide that, and we can provide the information that we do. But ultimately, people have the right to decide that.”
Parsons ran an unsuccessful campaign for state Senate last year. The Democrat who defeated him, Sen. James Malone of Lancaster County, issued a statement on Aug. 25 that said he encouraged “everyone to protect themselves and their families by getting vaccinated if they are unvaccinated” and staying informed about outbreaks by monitoring an online state dashboard.
