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Kennedy asked to remove Pennsylvania measles death from CDC tally: Report
The agency delayed its update and changed its dashboard several times after staff had accepted Pennsylvania’s classification, sources said.
- U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. directed CDC Director Erica Schwartz to remove two Pennsylvania measles-associated deaths from the official online tally, citing questions about whether the virus caused the fatalities.
- The directive followed an August 26, 2026, social media dispute between Kennedy and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, where Kennedy accused the governor of withholding information and questioned if the deaths were "altogether fabricated by one of the Governor's hopeful staffers."
- Despite the CDC having previously accepted the state's classification, Schwartz implemented the removal Sunday, prompting criticism from American Public Health Association chief Georges Benjamin, who called the intervention "unheard of" and accused Kennedy of pursuing an "anti-vaccine agenda."
- The agency replaced the death count with an asterisk noting that available information does not establish a causal link to measles, while Pennsylvania officials maintain they have provided all required epidemiological data and are legally barred from sharing personally identifiable records.
- Rising vaccine hesitancy has fueled 540 cases in Pennsylvania this year, contributing to the highest level of U.S. measles cases in three decades as federal and state agencies clash over reporting procedures.
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Editorial: Pennsylvania measles deaths are the cost of poor public health leadership
The two recent measles-related deaths in Lancaster County, including that of a newborn, were the first in Pennsylvania in 35 years. Sadly, as vaccination rates decline across the commonwealth and the country, they will likely not be the last.
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Total News Sources47
Leaning Left13Leaning Right8Center16Last UpdatedBias Distribution43% Center
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources are Center
43% Center
L 35%
C 43%
R 22%
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