The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has excluded two measles deaths reported by Pennsylvania health officials from its latest national surveillance update, breaking precedent by publicly disputing state determinations. CDC Director Erica Schwartz, less than a month into her role, directed staff to add a statement clarifying that the agency cannot confirm whether measles caused or contributed to the deaths.
The CDC’s website showed inconsistent data over the weekend: the measles death count for 2026 was listed as zero on August 29, then updated to two on August 30 before being removed entirely. An asterisk now references the agency’s statement, which remains in place as of Tuesday.
The move follows reporting by The New York Times and The Washington Post, highlighting an unusual intervention by federal health authorities into state-level death reporting. The CDC’s decision underscores ongoing scrutiny of measles surveillance amid rising cases nationwide.
