Pennsylvania’s measles crisis ignites a political firestorm as Governor Josh Shapiro announces two measles‑associated deaths while Lancaster County Commissioner Joshua Parsons disputes the claim, saying the deaths were not from measles.
Political Clash Over Measles Deaths
Governor Shapiro, speaking at a press conference with Dr. Debra Bogen at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Hospital, said the two unvaccinated individuals represented the first measles‑related fatalities in the state in 35 years.
He warned that the deaths were “completely preventable” and urged all Pennsylvanians to get vaccinated.
Lancaster County Commissioner Joshua Parsons pushed back, telling Fox News Digital that the county coroner had reported zero measles deaths and that the state had not provided details on the cases.
Parsons said the coroner had only one infant death linked to measles, which he described as occurring “with measles but not of measles,” and noted that the second death remained undisclosed.
RFK Jr. Challenges Shapiro’s Narrative
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. condemned Shapiro’s press conference on X, calling it “a replay of the Democrats’ COVID playbook” and suggesting the deaths may have been “fabricated by one of the Governor’s hopeful staffers.”
Kennedy added that state law requires all measles deaths to be reported to the coroner, a requirement he said the Lancaster County Coroner had not seen.
Coroner’s Findings
The Lancaster County Coroner, Dr. Stephen Diamoantoni, told local media he had not been contacted before the governor’s announcement and said the infant’s cause of death was a lacerated spleen, not measles.
Parsons said the coroner confirmed no measles deaths were recorded this year and that the Pennsylvania Department of Health used the term “measles‑associated” because laboratory tests were positive, even though the certifier did not list measles as the immediate cause.
Outbreak Scale
As of Friday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 460 confirmed measles cases across 31 counties, marking the nation’s largest outbreak since 1991, according to CDC data.
Most infections involved unvaccinated individuals, particularly in religious communities that decline vaccination, Parsons noted, adding that vaccination remains a personal choice.
Shapiro’s office referred inquiries to the Department of Health, which declined to comment further on the coroner’s involvement.
