Trump administration changes how it counts measles deaths amid Pennsylvania outbreak

The Trump administration, through the CDC, has changed how measles deaths are reported amidst an outbreak in Pennsylvania, where a third probable measles-related death was reported. The CDC is now using data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) for mortality trends, a system former CDC officials find puzzling for individual case confirmation. Previously, the CDC used the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. Pennsylvania has confirmed two measles-related infant deaths this year, and a 40-year-old unvaccinated woman with COPD died from probable measles. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has previously questioned measles death counts and has a history with an anti-vaccine organization. The HHS maintains that MMR vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles.

A 40-year-old unvaccinated woman in Pennsylvania has died from measles, marking the third reported death from the disease in the United States this year. Health officials confirmed the death occurred on Saturday due to complications from measles. The other two measles-related deaths also occurred in Pennsylvania earlier this year, involving unvaccinated individuals in Lancaster County. Measles, declared eliminated in the US in 2000, is a highly contagious and potentially deadly disease. As of the article's reporting, there have been 3,294 measles cases across more than 45 states in 2026, and 2,289 cases with three deaths in 2025.

Pennsylvania has reported a potential third death related to its ongoing measles outbreak, with a 40-year-old woman in Jefferson County dying on Saturday. This follows two previous infant deaths in August, one of whom had a genetic defect and the other who died from a ruptured spleen after contracting measles. Measles is highly contagious and can cause severe complications in people of all ages. As of last week, Pennsylvania had nearly 700 measles cases across 37 counties, with concentrations in Lancaster and Mifflin counties. This outbreak occurs amid a reported decline in childhood vaccination rates, with experts citing the vaccine's past success and vaccine skepticism as contributing factors.