Newborn and Child Die from Measles; CDC Excludes Cases from Count

In a troubling development following a public disagreement between Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, misinformation surrounding measles has taken center stage. Kennedy, known for his anti-vaccine stance, recently shared false claims about measles deaths in Pennsylvania, implying without solid evidence that the state might have “fabricated” these fatalities and that the governor exhibited inappropriate enthusiasm while announcing them.

Initially, state health officials withheld details about the individuals who succumbed to the virus, citing privacy as a major concern. However, it has now been revealed that one of the victims was a newborn, while the other was a child, both unvaccinated and hailing from Lancaster County. External medical experts have criticized the state’s lack of transparency, which has fostered a fertile ground for misinformation.

Understanding the Circumstances Surrounding the Deaths

Controversy heightened when Lancaster County Coroner Stephen Diamantoni, a Republican in office since 2007, claimed a pathologist ruled that the newborn died from a ruptured spleen, suggesting measles played no significant role. Despite this, testing confirmed that the baby was born with the measles virus, displaying traces of the infection in its lung tissue. The infant’s mother was severely ill with measles during childbirth, as reported by The Atlantic.

The infant’s parents, members of the Amish community, were unaware that their baby’s death had gained national attention and sparked a heated debate. They firmly believed that measles was the cause of their child’s death. The mother, infected during a local outbreak and after several siblings had also been ill, experienced significant health issues during labor, struggling to speak and lacking energy. Though the baby had a heartbeat at birth, he failed to breathe and was pronounced dead within half an hour, despite paramedics’ efforts.