A 18-year-old from Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, has tragically become the fourth person to die from measles in the state this year. The cause of death was acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, a rare condition linked to the measles, which can lead to inflammation in the brain and spinal cord.

The state health department has confirmed a further death in Jefferson County, an unvaccinated 40-year-old woman. The department has also reported 693 measles cases in 38 counties, with 99 cases in the last seven days, and 133 people hospitalized.

‘My thoughts are with the two families who lost loved ones to this highly contagious virus, as Pennsylvania faces the worst measles outbreak in more than three decades,’ said Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Debra Bogen. The state remains committed to working with partners to stem the outbreak and prevent further deaths by providing the facts about measles and access to the MMR vaccine.

Before vaccines were widely used, ADEM was commonly associated with measles, though other viral infections can also trigger it. The 18-year-old's death is another stark reminder of the severe risks posed by measles, especially in unvaccinated individuals.