CDC joins RFK Jr. in Pennsylvania Measles Death Inquest

(Bloomberg) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is challenging Pennsylvania officials’ statements about two recent measles-related deaths, intensifying a dispute between the Trump administration and the state over the outbreak.

In a social media post, the top U.S. health agency said Gov. Josh Shapiro declined help from the CDC and refused to provide more information about the deaths. She also thanked Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for raising questions about whether the two people actually died of measles.

“CDC is working to determine what really happened,” the agency said in a social media post on X. “These discrepancies raise important questions, especially since the governor’s office failed to provide CDC with information relevant to the outbreak and declined our offers of assistance.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Health responded on social media Thursday evening, saying staff are in regular contact about measles cases and that it “appreciates the collaboration we have with many CDC program areas.”

“It is inaccurate to state that Pennsylvania failed to provide CDC with information regarding the outbreak or refused to cooperate with CDC,” the health department said.

On Friday, the Atlanta-based agency said it was delaying updating its dashboard of national measles cases. The site is usually updated weekly.

Earlier this week, Shapiro accused Kennedy of instilling a mistrust of vaccines that has led to a decline in measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations. Kennedy fired back, claiming the decline predated his time as the nation’s top health official.

Kennedy also raised questions about whether the two deaths were caused by something other than measles. Pennsylvania Health Secretary Debra Bogen denied that on Wednesday, saying the state had investigated and confirmed two measles-related deaths and reported them to the CDC early Tuesday.

“It appears that the announcement was premature and the deaths may even have been fabricated by one of the governor’s up-and-coming staffers,” Kennedy wrote in a post Wednesday.

The CDC’s official account said the agency “appreciates Secretary Kennedy’s efforts to clarify conflicting information.” Earlier this week, the agency said it was working closely with local authorities and that the MMR shot was the most effective protection against the disease.

As of August 26 this year, the state had a total of 424 measles cases, including 73 hospitalizations and two deaths – both in unvaccinated patients. Most of the cases are concentrated in Lancaster County, and many occur in people under the age of 18.

One of the dead was an infant, according to local news website LancasterOnline. Pediatricians recommend that children receive their first dose of the MMR vaccine at 12 months of age.

The US is dealing with a nationwide measles epidemic. The CDC has confirmed 2,777 infections through August 20, which is already the highest total for any year since 1991.

(Update with CDC delaying measles numbers in paragraph six.)

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