Montgomery County is offering free MMR vaccine clinics throughout October as Pennsylvania's measles outbreak has now killed three people statewide.
The county's community vaccine clinic schedule lists seven October dates providing flu, COVID and MMR vaccines at no cost to anyone who lives, works or attends school in Montgomery County. Nearby locations include Oct. 3 at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Glenside and Oct. 10 at Davenport Elementary School in Norristown. King of Prussia's Upper Merion Township Building hosts a clinic Oct. 19, and Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell follows Oct. 24.
As we reported Sept. 13, the county announced the clinics after two Lancaster County infants died from measles in August. A third death has now been confirmed.
A 40-year-old unvaccinated woman in Jefferson County died Sunday, Sept. 13, from measles complications, the Jefferson County Coroner's Office said in a release reported by Patch. The woman had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma and required supplemental oxygen around the clock, Coroner Greg Furlong told the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Lab results were still pending.
Her death certificate initially listed "suspected measles" as a contributing cause. Furlong said he was updating it to read "probable measles." She had declined a measles test while alive, and the coroner's office tested her after death.
"This is a heartbreaking loss for the family and an unfortunate reminder that measles can be a serious and potentially life-threatening disease," Furlong said.
The two earlier deaths involved Lancaster County infants too young to be vaccinated. Ivan Miller died Aug. 14 shortly after birth from a ruptured spleen, with measles listed as a contributing factor. Mary Stoltzfus, 6 weeks old and born with Amish lethal microcephaly, died Aug. 18 from a measles infection, according to MedicalXpress.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 676 confirmed measles cases across 37 of the state's 67 counties as of Sept. 12. Only four cases involved vaccinated people. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had confirmed 3,294 cases nationally as of Sept. 10.
The Montgomery County Office of Public Health's measles page, last updated Sept. 4, states there are "no current reported cases in Montgomery County associated with the outbreak." Lower Merion Township's Health Advisory Council issued a measles advisory July 27 noting the county had three confirmed cases at that time.
Uninsured or underinsured residents can call the county health clinics in Norristown at 610-278-5145 or Pottstown at 610-970-5040 for a free vaccine. Residents with measles questions can reach the Montgomery County Office of Public Health at 610-278-5117.
The township's July 27 advisory urged anyone who develops measles symptoms to call before arriving at a doctor's office, urgent care center or emergency department so staff can prepare infection-control measures.
