CDC Questions Pennsylvania Measles Death Reports

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has publicly excluded two measles deaths reported by Pennsylvania health officials from its national measles data update, an extraordinary action that challenges the state's death determinations. This move breaks with precedent, as states typically serve as the arbiters of case and death determinations, not the CDC. Erica Schwartz, the CDC's new director, less than a month into her tenure, reportedly ordered CDC staff to append an unusual statement to the agency's website for measles surveillance data. This statement explicitly notes that the update will not incorporate the deaths reported by Pennsylvania, citing a lack of available information to establish whether measles caused or contributed to the deaths, or if other causes were responsible while the individuals were infected with measles.

The Washington Post reported that the CDC's website information regarding these deaths was altered multiple times over the weekend of August 29-30, 2026. Initially, on August 29 at 2:33 pm ET, a chart on the website listed the total measles deaths for 2026 as "0." By August 30 at 12:09 pm ET, this chart was updated to reflect "2" total deaths for 2026. A note accompanying this update stated, "Health departments make determinations about measles-associated deaths and share relevant information with CDC." However, by 3:23 pm ET on the same day, August 30, the chart was modified again. The two reported deaths were removed, replaced by an asterisk. This asterisk serves as a reference to the aforementioned unusual statement explaining the exclusion of these deaths. As of Tuesday, the asterisk and the explanatory statement remained on the CDC's website.

This situation has drawn attention, including from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has previously questioned the accuracy of reported measles death figures. The CDC's decision to publicly dispute state-level death determinations is a significant departure from its usual practice and highlights a potential discrepancy in how measles-related fatalities are being classified and reported. The CDC's role is to monitor and report on public health threats across the United States, collecting data from state and local health departments. When discrepancies arise, the agency typically works with these departments to clarify information rather than issuing public statements that challenge their findings. The inclusion of the asterisk and the detailed explanatory note on the CDC's website indicates a high level of concern and a deliberate effort to communicate the agency's reservations about the Pennsylvania reports. The implications of this dispute could extend to how future public health data is reported and verified, particularly in the context of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, which has seen resurgences in recent years due to declining vaccination rates in certain communities.