US health officials exclude measles-related deaths in Pennsylvania from counts

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has decided not to include two recent measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania when counting measles deaths. This decision has raised concerns among health officials. Debra Houry, a former CDC chief medical officer, noted that this is an uncommon occurrence, as it did not happen in the past when measles deaths were reported in Texas and New Mexico.

Robert F Kennedy Jr, the secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, had previously stated that there have been three measles deaths in America in the last decade. However, Pennsylvania reported two measles-related deaths in August, including a newborn who died shortly after birth. Kennedy has suggested that these deaths were "fabricated."

The CDC has temporarily halted its weekly update, keeping the count at zero, and has replaced the two deaths listed with an asterisk. The CDC will review additional information regarding the circumstances and causes of death before making a final determination. This approach differs from how deaths reported by states to the CDC are typically handled.

The CDC has not clarified why it is seeking more information about these cases and why the available data was deemed insufficient. This unusual decision may impact the relationship between the CDC and the states that report to it.