CDC Excludes Pennsylvania Measles Deaths After RFK Jr. Questions Cases
Pennsylvania reported two measles-associated deaths on August 25, marking the first in the state in 35 years. Both victims were unvaccinated. Health Secretary RFK Jr. publicly questioned whether the deaths were caused by measles, suggesting the state may have provided incomplete information to the CDC. The new CDC director, Erica Schwartz, subsequently excluded the two deaths from the national measles tally, stating available information did not establish whether measles caused or contributed to the deaths. Pennsylvania health officials defended their assessment, saying they thoroughly reviewed the cases and provided all required data to the CDC. The decision marks an unusual departure from standard CDC practice of accepting state-reported data. One victim was an infant with a ruptured spleen; the county coroner said he did not record any measles deaths. The U.S. is experiencing its highest measles case count in over 35 years, with roughly 2,800 confirmed cases in 2026. Experts attribute the outbreak to declining vaccination rates.
Key facts
- Pennsylvania reported 2 measles-associated deaths on August 25, 2026, the first in the state in 35 years
- Both deceased individuals were unvaccinated
- CDC Director Erica Schwartz excluded the deaths from national tally, citing insufficient evidence measles caused them
- Lancaster County Coroner Stephen Diamantoni said one victim, a newborn, died from a ruptured spleen, not measles
- U.S. recorded approximately 2,777-2,800 measles cases in 2026, the highest annual total in over 35 years
- RFK Jr. publicly suggested the Pennsylvania deaths may have been 'fabricated'
- Pennsylvania health department stated it thoroughly reviewed cases and provided all required epidemiological data to CDC
How different outlets framed it
Left-leaning coverage: Progressive outlets stress that RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine rhetoric and public doubting of the deaths undermined public confidence in vaccination and contributed to the measles outbreak. They highlight that Pennsylvania health officials followed proper protocols, that the CDC's exclusion of the deaths was highly unusual, and that declining vaccination rates—partly driven by vaccine skepticism—directly enabled the outbreak.
Right-leaning coverage: Conservative outlets, particularly Fox News, present RFK Jr.'s questions as legitimate scrutiny of data integrity and highlight the coroner's statement that the infant died from a ruptured spleen, not measles. They frame the CDC's decision to exclude the deaths as supporting RFK Jr.'s call for more rigorous verification and suggest the case reflects broader concerns about how government health agencies classify deaths.
Limits of this briefing
Sources conflict on whether the CDC decision was appropriate scrutiny or political interference. No independent investigation has definitively established cause of death for either victim. The coroner's perspective conflicts with state health department classification, leaving the underlying medical facts genuinely disputed.
Sources
- Washington Post: The CDC hasn't added 2 deaths to its measles database. Here's why. Left
- Fox News: Measles deaths may have been 'fabricated,' RFK Jr claims after coroner raises questions Right
- Philadelphia Inquirer: The CDC left two measles-associated Pa. deaths out of its latest count after RFK Jr. sparred with Gov. Shapiro Centre
- The Hill: CDC, Pennsylvania clash over measles deaths after spat between Josh Shapiro, RFK Jr. Centre
- PolitiFact: Dissecting RFK Jr. and PA Gov. Josh Shapiro's measles dispute Centre