# A second measles death, and a fight over the count

> Pennsylvania's outbreak has passed 676 cases, and federal and state officials cannot agree on how many people have died.
- Title: A second measles death, and a fight over the count · ABC News
- Summary: Pennsylvania's outbreak has passed 676 cases, and federal and state officials cannot agree on how many people have died. Nearly every case in this outbreak…
- Keywords: measles, public health, pennsylvania, vaccines, cdc, news, second, death, fight, count, ABC News
- Source: ABC News — https://abcnews.com/US/measles-related-death-reported-pennsylvania-outbreak-grows/story?id=136410532
- Author: ABC News
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: measles, public health, pennsylvania, vaccines, cdc, news
## A death in Jefferson County
A 40-year-old woman died Saturday, September 12, from complications of measles. Her county coroner confirmed she was unvaccinated.

> This is a heartbreaking loss for the family and an unfortunate reminder that measles can be a serious and potentially life-threatening disease.
## 676 cases and climbing
Pennsylvania has logged 676 measles cases, with more than 100 added in a single week. 124 people have been hospitalized.
## Almost all unvaccinated
State health data shows nearly every case in the outbreak is in someone who had not been vaccinated against the virus.
## Nobody agrees on the death toll
Pennsylvania has reported two measles-associated deaths from this outbreak. The CDC's website, updated Friday, still lists zero for 2026.
## The CDC says it wasn't told
Director Erica Schwartz said the agency learned of the Jefferson County death elsewhere, and that Pennsylvania has turned down an Epi-Aid deployment of federal epidemiologists.

> CDC was not notified by Pennsylvania officials of this death.
## A public spat over the data
RFK Jr. said the state refused to share information after the first two deaths. Pennsylvania's Dr. Debra Bogen answered on X that her staff meets with CDC professionals regularly.

> refused to share information
## Key takeaway

Nearly every case in this outbreak is in someone unvaccinated, and the people meant to be coordinating the response are arguing instead.