CDC Excludes Two Pennsylvania Measles Deaths from National Data

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has removed two measles deaths reported by Pennsylvania health officials from its most recent national measles data set. The agency said the available information does not establish whether measles caused or contributed to the deaths, or if the individuals died of other causes while infected.

CDC Director Erica Schwartz, who assumed the role less than a month ago, instructed staff to add a note to the CDC’s measles surveillance page explaining the exclusion. The page’s death count for 2026 was initially listed as zero, then briefly updated to two, before being changed again to omit the deaths and replace the figure with an asterisk referencing the explanatory note.

Pennsylvania officials reported that the two deceased were a newborn and a child, both unvaccinated and residing in Lancaster County. The newborn’s mother, severely ill with measles at the time of birth, said the infant was born with a pulse but did not breathe and died shortly after emergency responders arrived. A local coroner indicated a pathologist found a ruptured spleen, a condition that can be associated with measles infection in newborns, though the coroner questioned the link.

"These patients would not have died were it not for measles," said Paul Offit, a pediatric infectious disease expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The second death, also a child from the same area, remains under investigation, with the coroner’s office still determining the cause.

State health officials said they reported the deaths to the CDC on August 25 and have provided all required epidemiological data. The CDC, however, noted that the governor’s office had not supplied additional information and had declined offers of assistance.

The decision to exclude the deaths has drawn criticism from public-health experts, who warn that delays or inconsistencies in reporting can undermine confidence in disease surveillance.

"Delays in reporting of data further erode trust and create confusion," said Debra Houry, former CDC chief medical officer.