CDC Reports Second Measles Death As US Outbreak Reaches 47 States

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the second national death on Tuesday, as the country grapples with an outbreak affecting 47 states. Total confirmed U.S. cases reached 3,659 as of September 24, according to federal figures. Federal data shows that 3,659 measles cases have been verified by the CDC up to September 24, alongside a pair of fatalities validated on Tuesday. The confirmation did not specify in which states the deaths had occurred. Although Pennsylvania is the hardest-hit state, having reported more than 900 cases and four deaths from measles, the federal agency is omitting those local fatalities from its nationwide count.

Federal Numbers Leave Out Pennsylvania Deaths Amid Intergovernmental Dispute

While Pennsylvania stands as the hardest-hit state in the ongoing outbreak, federal data does not include the fatalities reported locally. Pennsylvania’s Department of Health reported a total of 497 measles cases and two measles-related deaths in the Commonwealth on Monday, with 50 cases in Chester County and additional infections in Montgomery, Berks, and Northampton counties.

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State and federal agencies have clashed over how to count these fatalities. Gov. Josh Shapiro announced two measles-associated deaths on Friday, August 28, a disclosure that sparked friction with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The CDC stated that national updates would exclude those two deaths while federal officials reviewed additional information regarding the circumstances of the cases.

Pennsylvania Reports Apparent Third Measles-Related Death Amid Outbreak

Present data fails to clarify whether measles directly caused or contributed to the fatalities, or if the patients succumbed to alternative illnesses while concurrently carrying the virus.

Federal health authorities have transitioned to using mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics for their national count, marking a shift from past reporting methods. Discrepancies separating the federal death statistics for measles from the figures published by the Pennsylvania health department form a core component of the ongoing disagreement between state Governor Josh Shapiro and US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. Previously relying on direct state reporting, the CDC now incorporates mortality figures supplied by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) into its national tally of measles fatalities. Kennedy claimed Wednesday that Pennsylvania wasn’t cooperating as federal officials sought information about the deaths. We're trying to figure out … who are those deaths, whether they actually happened we can't figure that out yet, Kennedy said. Shapiro accused Kennedy of going down a “rabbit hole” of conspiracy theories and false claims. Kennedy, in turn, accused Shapiro of fearmongering.

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Vulnerable Demographics and Vaccination Rates in the National Outbreak

Unvaccinated individuals or those with unknown vaccination status represent a vast majority of cases, while the disease itself remains highly contagious and can cause serious health complications. Measles is a highly contagious virus that can cause serious health complications. And although rare, deaths from measles occur in approximately one to three patients per 1,000 cases. Measles symptoms usually begin seven to 14 days after infection, according to the CDC. Affected individuals frequently experience a high temperature, coughing, nasal discharge, and sore, watery eyes, which are subsequently accompanied by an erupting rash moving down the body.

The CDC advises that two doses of the MMR vaccine provide the best protection against measles. Individuals who have received full vaccination against the illness account for less than 1% of all confirmed Pennsylvania measles cases.

Local Response and Workforce Pressures at Federal Agencies

Over the preceding seven days, Pennsylvania authorities documented 114 additional measles infections, with minors under the age of 18 accounting for one-third of this recent total. The state has also reported 176 hospitalizations. Pennsylvania’s health department said: 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. Gov. Shapiro noted that the state has received necessary support through regular communication with federal agencies.

Pennsylvania Measles Outbreak Spreads with 55 New Cases Reported

We have received the support that is needed, Shapiro said. According to the Department of Health there has been regular communication with the CDC and other federal agencies and if I have any unmet needs that I need from the federal government I will reach out to them and make that request.

This disclosure arrives concurrently with significant staff reductions at the CDC, following the Trump administration’s decision to cut 18% of the workforce in 2025. Union data from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)—representing 82,000 members as the largest federal union—shows that civil service personnel at the CDC have decreased by 3,810 over the past year, representing a one-third drop in total staffing.