The CDC has removed two measles deaths reported by Pennsylvania officials from its latest national measles surveillance update, publicly casting doubt on the state’s determinations. The decision breaks with long-standing practice, under which individual states, not the federal agency, serve as the authorities on case and death classifications.
According to reporting on Monday, the CDC’s new director, Erica Schwartz, drove the decision less than a month into her tenure. She reportedly instructed agency staff to attach an unusual note to the CDC’s measles data page. The statement says the update will exclude the deaths reported by Pennsylvania and adds: “At this time, 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.”
A Data Page Changed Multiple Times
The information on the page shifted repeatedly over the weekend. On August 29 at 2:33 pm ET, the chart listed 2026 measles deaths as “0.” By August 30 at 12:09 pm ET, the total was updated to “2,” with a note stating that health departments make determinations about measles-associated deaths and share relevant information with the CDC. Roughly three hours later, at 3:23 pm ET, the chart was altered again to delete the two deaths, replacing the figure with an asterisk pointing to the new statement. The asterisk and note remained in place as of Tuesday.
The change followed a public clash between Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro over Kennedy’s anti-vaccine messaging. Kennedy shared measles misinformation on social media as news of the deaths emerged, then suggested without evidence that the state may have “fabricated” the deaths and that the governor announced them with “giddy delight.”
What Is Known About the Deaths
State health officials initially declined to release details about the two people who died, including their ages, citing privacy concerns. Subsequent reporting indicated that one was a newborn and the other a child. Both were unvaccinated and from Lancaster County. Outside medical experts have criticized the limited information from officials, arguing it created room for doubt and misinformation.
The controversy intensified after Lancaster County Coroner Stephen Diamantoni, a Republican first elected in 2007, said a pathologist determined the newborn died of a ruptured spleen and did not believe measles played a role. Testing showed the baby was born infected with the virus, with evidence of measles infection in lung tissue. The newborn’s mother was severely ill from measles at the time of the birth.
The baby’s parents, who are Amish, were reportedly unaware that their child’s death had become national news and a point of contention. The measles surveillance statement and asterisk remained on the CDC website as of Tuesday.
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Image: arstechnica.com
