Lancaster County Coroner Confirms Second Infant Death Directly Caused by Measles

Lancaster County Coroner Stephen Diamantoni said on Friday that a second infant in the county died directly from measles. The baby, a girl born in July, also suffered from Amish lethal microcephaly, a rare condition that typically limits survival to about six months. She was placed in palliative care shortly after birth and died roughly two months later. Authorities have not determined whether she contracted measles before or after birth.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health had earlier described the death as "measles-associated," a term that prompted questions from officials about its precise meaning. In the first infant death reported on Aug. 14, the coroner noted that the newborn's mother had measles and transmitted the virus, but the cause of death was a ruptured spleen, with measles noted on the death certificate.

The cases highlight ongoing concerns about measles transmission and its impact on vulnerable infants in the region.