CDC leaves two Pennsylvania measles deaths out of its national count

Political Guyentist · September 1, 20261 min read

Pennsylvania says two unvaccinated residents died after catching measles. The CDC is holding both out of its national tally while it reviews whether measles caused or contributed to the deaths. That is a break from how it counted state-reported measles deaths last year. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the reports "may even have been altogether fabricated." Former CDC chief medical officer Debra Houry called the agency's handling "highly unusual." The count matters beyond the two names. The country recorded three measles deaths in all of 2025. International health officials decide in November 2026 whether the United States and Mexico have lost measles-free status.

3 measles deaths recorded in the U.S. in 2025

What we’re less sure of2 of 7 claims

Medium
Withholding the deaths is a break from how the CDC handled state-reported measles deaths in 2025.
Causal/comparative characterization drawn from reporting and from the 2025 precedent in CDC MMWR and the HHS summary of the Texas and New Mexico deaths; the prior-practice contrast is the outlets' framing rather than a CDC statement.
Medium
International health officials are scheduled to decide in November 2026 whether the U.S. and Mexico have lost measles-free status.
PAHO's elimination criteria and its 2026 update on the review of measles elimination status support that a re-verification review is under way, but the specific November 2026 decision date is a scheduled future event and could slip.