A 40-year-old woman in Pennsylvania has died of measles, the third US death from the disease, health officials say, decades after measles was declared eliminated in the country.
Key facts
- A third person has died of measles in the US, according to health officials.
- Pennsylvania reported the death of a 40-year-old woman.
- Measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000.
A third person has died of measles in the United States, health officials have confirmed. The latest death was reported in Pennsylvania, according to Al Jazeera.
State officials said the person who died was a 40-year-old woman. No further details about the case were provided in the reporting.
The death is notable because measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. Elimination in this context means the disease was no longer continuously spreading within the country.
The report from Al Jazeera identifies this as the third measles death in the US, underscoring ongoing concern among health authorities about the disease returning to a country where it had previously been brought under control.
Measles is a highly contagious viral illness. Its reappearance and associated deaths in a nation that had declared it eliminated draws attention to gaps that can allow the virus to spread again.
Why it matters
Measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000, so deaths from the disease signal a troubling reversal for public health. A third fatality highlights the risks that emerge when a once-controlled illness resurfaces.
Frequently asked questions
How many people have died of measles in the US?
According to health officials cited by Al Jazeera, three people have now died of measles in the US, the latest being a 40-year-old woman in Pennsylvania.
Wasn't measles eliminated in the US?
Yes. Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, which makes recent deaths from the disease significant.
Who was the latest person to die?
Pennsylvania officials reported that the person who died was a 40-year-old woman. No additional details were provided in the source reporting.