Administration Alters Measles Death Tracking Methodology During Pennsylvania Outbreak

The Trump administration has altered its methodology for tracking measles fatalities amid an outbreak in Pennsylvania, where a local coroner reported the state’s third probable measles-related death on Sunday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shifted to using data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) to monitor mortality trends, as noted in a post on the agency’s website on September 4.

Debra Houry, a former CDC chief medical officer, called the shift “puzzling” and illogical, noting that the NCHS system is designed for long-term mortality trend analysis rather than confirming individual cases.

Previously, the CDC relied on the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS), which it described as the pipeline for transmitting data from state and local jurisdictions to the federal government.

“The CDC will only report measles deaths when the National Center for Health Statistics identifies measles as the underlying cause of death,” stated Emily Hilliard, an HHS spokesperson.

The CDC placed an asterisk next to its death count, noting that the NCHS “does not currently have any death records from 2026 that indicate measles is the underlying cause.”

Pennsylvania officials have confirmed two measles-associated deaths this year: a newborn and a six-week-old infant. Additionally, a 40-year-old woman in Jefferson County died on Saturday from probable measles, according to county coroner Greg Furlong.

The deceased woman was unvaccinated and suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requiring constant oxygen support, making her highly susceptible to complications. She had not sought medical care for her infection. “They were planning to, but things deteriorated rapidly, ultimately leading to her death,” Furlong explained.

She exhibited the classic measles rash and other symptoms, and a close contact had recently tested positive for the virus.

A nasal swab is currently being tested for measles, with results expected within days. However, due to the epidemiological link to a confirmed case, the death will be classified as probable measles-related, Furlong stated.

The coroner stated that the woman would not have died from her pre-existing conditions alone without the measles infection.

“None of us know when our last day is here on this Earth,” he said. “But I strongly 100% believe if this hadn’t entered her life, she would be alive today,” he added, noting, “Even with her underlying conditions, I believe she’d be alive today.”

Furlong emphasized that maintaining a measles immunization rate of at least 95% is “absolutely” crucial for protecting vulnerable populations, particularly those who cannot be vaccinated, such as infants under six months and pregnant individuals.

“We can all learn from this, and hopefully we can encourage more people who aren’t immunized to get vaccinated,” Furlong said, adding, “People do not want to be a statistic.”

“Hopefully, this will prompt more people to get tested and vaccinated. It’s something we thought we had eradicated, but here we are,” he said. “It’s a shame that this had to result in someone’s death.”

As of Friday, Pennsylvania had 676 confirmed measles cases, but Furlong believes the official numbers represent an undercount, stating, “I 100% guarantee it.”

Furlong made the announcement on Sunday to inform the public of an issue they should be aware of. Once the Pennsylvania Department of Health completes its investigation, including the nasal swab results, it will notify the CDC.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has not commented on the death, instead posting on X about fitness, Medicaid and Medicare fraud, and screen time.

Previously, Kennedy argued without evidence that the two earlier deaths might not be caused by measles and asked CDC Director Erica Schwartz not to include them in the official tally. The day after Reuters reported this, the CDC changed its data source for measles deaths.

Kennedy also led the anti-vaccine organization Children’s Health Defense for nearly two decades and has repeatedly spread vaccine misinformation.

“The CDC’s recommendation for the MMR vaccine remains unchanged, and the Secretary has repeatedly stated that the MMR vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles infection,” Hilliard, the HHS spokesperson, said.

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