Key facts
- Measles deaths will no longer be automatically included in the national tally based on state reports to the CDC.
- The change requires confirmation that measles was an underlying cause of death on a death certificate.
- Disease experts argue the new counting method will delay information and minimize the risks of measles.
- The US has reported over 6,300 measles infections and at least eight fatalities since early 2025.
- The CDC has accepted only two of five reported measles-related deaths this year.
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has altered the federal government's methodology for counting measles deaths, a move that has drawn criticism from disease experts and political opponents. Previously, state and local health officials were required to report deaths of individuals with a measles diagnosis to the CDC. Disease experts generally considered any death of a person infected with measles to be related to the virus, as it can impair organs or worsen existing health conditions.
Under the new policy, the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics will only include measles deaths in the national tally if measles is confirmed as the underlying cause on a death certificate. This process, which can take weeks, has led to the CDC accepting only two out of five measles-related deaths reported by US states this year. The US is currently experiencing its most significant measles outbreak since 1991, with over 6,300 infections and at least eight fatalities reported since early 2025.