Measles confirmed as cause of death for infant with Amish lethal microcephaly in Pennsylvania

The coroner of Lancaster County, Stephen Diamantoni, confirmed that a six-week-old baby girl died at home from measles. The child also suffered from Amish lethal microcephaly, a rare genetic disorder caused by a mutation in the SLC25A19 gene and present in roughly one in 500 Amish births, which usually leads to death within six months. Pennsylvania’s health department announced two recent measles fatalities, both involving infants, and Governor Josh Shapiro amplified the coroner’s findings via social media.

The situation has become contentious after anti-vaccine Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed the deaths might have been fabricated, a statement lacking evidence. The controversy was further fueled by the coroner’s remark that he had not received the death reports when the state initially announced them. Lancaster County relies on the state health department for public-health information.