Key facts
- The Trump administration has changed its method for counting measles deaths.
- The CDC is now using data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) for mortality trend analysis.
- Previously, the CDC used the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS).
- A 40-year-old unvaccinated woman in Pennsylvania died from probable measles.
- Pennsylvania has confirmed two other measles-related deaths this year: a newborn and a six-week-old infant.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr., HHS secretary, has not commented on the death and previously questioned earlier measles death counts.
The Trump administration has altered its methodology for tracking measles deaths, shifting to a system focused on long-term mortality trends rather than immediate disease surveillance. This change comes as Pennsylvania grapples with an outbreak, which includes the reported probable death of a 40-year-old unvaccinated woman with underlying health conditions.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now utilizing data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) for this purpose, a move described as "puzzling" by former CDC chief medical officer Debra Houry, who noted the NCHS system is not designed to confirm individual cases but rather to analyze long-term mortality trends.
Previously, the CDC relied on the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) to track such data. According to Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the CDC will report measles deaths only when the NCHS lists measles as the underlying cause. An asterisk under the CDC's death tally currently indicates that the NCHS has no death records from 2026 listing measles as the underlying cause.
Pennsylvania officials have confirmed two deaths this year linked to measles: a newborn and a six-week-old infant. The recent death of the 40-year-old woman in Jefferson County, reported by Coroner Greg Furlong, is considered probable measles-related due to epidemiological links, despite her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Furlong stated that he strongly believes she would be alive if she had not contracted measles.
Furlong emphasized the importance of maintaining a measles immunization rate of at least 95% to protect vulnerable populations, including infants and pregnant individuals. He expressed concern that measles, once thought eradicated, is resurfacing and leading to deaths, urging more people to get vaccinated.
Pennsylvania has recorded 676 confirmed measles cases as of Friday, though Furlong believes the actual number is higher. He announced the probable death on Sunday to raise public awareness. The Pennsylvania Department of Health will complete its investigation, including nasal swab test results, before notifying the CDC.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the HHS secretary, has not commented on the recent death. He previously questioned the measles attribution of earlier deaths and asked the CDC's director not to include them in official tallies, according to Reuters. Kennedy has a history of spreading misinformation about vaccines.