{
  "id": 4705595,
  "title": "US health officials exclude measles-related deaths in Pennsylvania from counts",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/us-health-officials-exclude-measles-related-deaths-in-pennsylvania",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-31T20:06:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Health",
    "slug": "guardian-health",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/31/measles-deaths-pennsylvania-excluded"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "RFK Jr, the health secretary, has suggested the death were ‘fabricated’ while the CDC claimed it was reviewing them Top US health officials and government agencies are currently not including the two recent measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania in their counts. “This is highly unusual,” said Debra Houry, former chief medical officer of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "What to know about the measles-related deaths in Pennsylvania",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/what-to-know-about-the-measles-related-deaths-in-pennsylvania",
        "published": "2026-08-28T15:19:19.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Measles deaths reported in Pennsylvania spark fight among politicians and health officials",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/measles-deaths-reported-in-pennsylvania-spark-fight-among-politicians-4056803",
        "published": "2026-08-28T23:13:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "Measles deaths reported in Pennsylvania spark fight among politicians and health officials",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/measles-deaths-reported-in-pennsylvania-spark-fight-among-politicians",
        "published": "2026-08-28T23:23:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NPR Health",
        "title": "Pennsylvania measles deaths ignite clash over RFK Jr.'s vaccination claims",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/pennsylvania-measles-deaths-ignite-clash-over-rfk-jr-s-vaccination",
        "published": "2026-08-29T11:40:56.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "PBS NewsHour Health",
        "title": "Measles deaths reported in Pennsylvania spark feud among politicians and health officials",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/measles-deaths-reported-in-pennsylvania-spark-feud-among-politicians",
        "published": "2026-08-31T16:47:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian US",
        "title": "US health officials exclude measles-related deaths in Pennsylvania from counts",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/us-health-officials-exclude-measles-related-deaths-in-pennsylvania-4706802",
        "published": "2026-08-31T20:06:01.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}