CDC confirms two US measles deaths; national count excludes four reported by Pennsylvania

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed two measles deaths in the country on Tuesday. The agency has confirmed 3,659 measles cases this year. It did not say in which states the deaths occurred.

This year's case count is the highest in about 35 years, since 1991. The US government declared measles eliminated in the country in 2000.

The national figure does not include four measles deaths reported by Pennsylvania this year. Pennsylvania is the hardest-hit state, with more than 900 reported cases. The gap between the federal and state figures is part of a dispute between Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.

For its national death count, the CDC has switched from state-reported data to mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). According to Al Jazeera, the switch took place a few weeks ago and replaced rapid, real-time reporting from state health departments.

According to the Guardian, the national case figure is as of 24 September, and the outbreak affects 47 states. The Guardian also reported 114 new cases in Pennsylvania in the past seven days, about a third in children under 18. It reported 176 hospitalisations in the state, and said fewer than 1% of cases involve fully vaccinated people. The Guardian quoted the CDC as saying two doses of the MMR vaccine "provide the best protection against measles".

According to Al Jazeera, President Trump signed an executive order in August aimed at getting states to split the MMR vaccine into three separate shots and to space out childhood appointments. The order has taken effect.

The CDC's workforce has been cut significantly since 2025.

What is disputed

• Deaths: The CDC counts two. Pennsylvania's health department has reported four in that state alone. According to Al Jazeera, Kennedy has maintained that only one of Pennsylvania's deaths was caused by measles. The reports do not describe the basis for his position.
• CDC staff cuts: According to the Guardian, the administration laid off 18% of CDC staff in 2025. According to Al Jazeera, the CDC lost nearly 30% of its workforce through layoffs after January 2025, plus retirements and resignations.

What each side says

• CDC: According to Al Jazeera, it is working with state epidemiologists on a standard definition of measles-related deaths, and the count may change.
• Pennsylvania Department of Health: The Guardian quoted it as saying: "While daily numbers fluctuate, tracking these trends provides Pennsylvanians and health care providers with visibility into community transmission across the [state] and helps inform the department’s ongoing response."
• AFGE union: According to the Guardian, the CDC has 3,810 fewer civil service employees than a year ago, about a third of its workforce.
• Public health experts: According to Al Jazeera, unnamed experts say splitting the MMR vaccine and spacing out appointments increases infection risk because it requires return visits.

The reports do not say whether either CDC-counted death occurred in Pennsylvania. They do not include a response from Governor Shapiro's office.

Analysis

The dispute appears to concern both how deaths are counted and what caused them: the CDC has changed its data source, and Kennedy has maintained, according to Al Jazeera, that only one of Pennsylvania's deaths was caused by measles. A move from state reports to NCHS mortality data can slow reporting and produce figures that differ from state tallies. If the CDC and state epidemiologists agree on a standard definition, the federal and Pennsylvania counts could converge. If they do not, parallel figures may persist and remain part of the political dispute. Separately, reduced CDC staffing and changes to the vaccine schedule are factors observers may weigh, though the reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not establish their effect on the outbreak.

Traceability
Sources (2): The Guardian · Al Jazeera
Independent origins: 2 · Perspectives covered: middle-east, west-left
Confirmed: 10 · Reported: 7 · Disputed: 2 · Confidence: high
Review: 3 AI reviewers (Claude, GPT-5.6 Sol, Kimi) · 33/33 claims backed by 2+ reviewers with verified evidence · 0 errors · approved
Drafted: 2026-09-29 18:11 UTC

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.