Top health officials and government agencies are currently excluding two recent measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania from their official national counts, as reported by The Guardian. This is a significant departure from standard reporting practices, leading to questions about how the agency handles state-reported data.
The CDC posted a note on Friday explaining it was delaying its weekly update, which kept the official measles death count at zero. By Sunday, the agency’s measles landing page was updated twice, with the two Pennsylvania deaths appearing briefly before being replaced by a note.
The CDC stated it will not include the two deaths while it reviews additional information regarding the circumstances and causes of death. The agency further noted, “Available information does not establish whether measles caused or contributed to the deaths or whether the individuals died from other causes while infected with measles.”
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Debra Houry, the former chief medical officer of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, described the situation as “highly unusual.” She noted that this approach differs from how the agency handled three deaths reported from measles in Texas and New Mexico last year. In those instances, the states reported the deaths and the CDC included them in the national tally.
Houry explained that states typically notify the CDC of reportable cases, and the agency does not review or adjudicate these cases unless a state specifically requests additional assistance. She expressed concern that this approach will undermine the collaborative relationship between the CDC and state agencies. Houry also commented that the communication coming from the CDC official channel on Friday was political and not focused on what should be done during an outbreak.
The controversy follows remarks made by Robert F Kennedy Jr, the secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, during a recent interview with Fox News. Kennedy claimed that in 10 years, there have been three measles deaths in America. He compared this figure to deaths from food-induced illness, a category the CDC does not appear to track.
Kennedy said, “The media and certain demagogue politicians are constantly trying to scare us about infectious disease,” adding that he was attempting to “redirect attention and resource to the thing that’s really killing Americans, which are foodborne diseases”. Kennedy has explicitly suggested that the two deaths reported in Pennsylvania were “fabricated.”
One of the deaths in Pennsylvania involved a newborn in Lancaster County who died immediately after birth. The mother was severely ill with measles and went into labor one month early. While the baby was born with a pulse, he was not breathing, and paramedics were unable to resuscitate him. The father of the child confirmed he received a voicemail asking him to get in touch with Kennedy, though he had not responded to the request.
The CDC has not provided clarification regarding what specific information it is seeking about these cases or why the existing data was deemed insufficient. An HHS spokesperson responding to inquiries on X stated the agency is working to determine what actually occurred.
While Kennedy has emphasized a focus on foodborne illnesses, he did not comment on a recent cyclospora outbreak that sickened more than 17,000 Americans this summer, stating only that the situation was under control.
Because the US has recently fallen below the vaccination threshold required to keep outbreaks in check, vulnerable populations such as infants and pregnant people remain at risk.
Published: Sep 1, 2026 12:43 pm