The Washington State Department of Health, however, made it clear that the death was not related with the measles outbreak from Disneyland, which launched an intense national debate about vaccinations.
The state health bureau also explained that the measles death was from a different strain. She also did not manifest usual symptoms, like rashes and it was only until the autopsy results were release that state health officials found that her death was attributed to measles, Washington Post reports.
It is believed that the Clallam County-local got exposed to measles was most likely exposed to measles at a medical facility during a recent outbreak in the area, the state Health Department said in a statement on its website.
She was there at the same time as another person who turned out to have been contagious with the virus. But the woman never developed some of the common symptoms of measles, such as a rash, so her infection was not discovered until after her death, the agency said. However, no records exist about her immunization. She had undergone immunization for measles but she also endured various health conditions and was prescribed medications that hampered her immune system, Health Department spokesman Donn Moyer revealed.
Her death was considered "a tragedy." Dr. Mark Schleiss, professor of pediatrics and director of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology at the University of Minnesota lamented that she could have lived had measles been detected and prevented.
"Measles is a disease we know we can control with effective immunizations. For this to happen is really unfortunate and unnecessary," Schleiss said.
The death in Washington happened just two days after California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a bill that provides stiffer provisions for parents to avoid getting their children vaccinated against communicable diseases.
