# Sixth measles death in Pennsylvania outbreak

> A 39-year-old unvaccinated woman dies of measles in Franklin County, bringing Pennsylvania's death toll to six as the state outbreak continues to spread.
- Title: Sixth measles death in Pennsylvania outbreak · Ars Technica
- Summary: A 39-year-old unvaccinated woman dies of measles in Franklin County, bringing Pennsylvania's death toll to six as the state outbreak continues to spread. A…
- Keywords: measles, pennsylvania, vaccination, outbreak, public health, franklin county, technology, science, Sixth, death, Ars Technica
- Source: Ars Technica — https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/10/39-year-old-unvaccinated-woman-becomes-6th-measles-death-in-pennsylvania
- Published: 2026-10-12T21:54:35+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: measles, pennsylvania, vaccination, outbreak, public health, franklin county, technology, science
## Woman dies of measles in Pennsylvania
A 39-year-old unvaccinated woman in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, died on Saturday, October 10. She had several underlying health conditions and had recently tested positive for measles.
## Death toll reaches six in state outbreak
The woman is the sixth person to die of measles in Pennsylvania's outbreak. The previous five deaths included a newborn, a six-week-old, an eighteen-year-old, a twenty-year-old, and a forty-year-old. All were unvaccinated.
## Outbreak spans 41 counties, infects 1,136
As of October 9, Pennsylvania has recorded 1,136 measles cases since the start of the year, with 1,124 from the current outbreak that began in April.
## US measles cases hit highest level since 1991
The nationwide measles case count for the year has hit 4,080, the highest total since 1991.Pennsylvania's outbreak is the largest on record since that year.
## Key takeaway

A 39-year-old unvaccinated woman became the sixth measles death in Pennsylvania's outbreak, which has infected over 1,100 people since April and is the largest since 1991.