US Measles Outbreak: CDC Logs 4,588 Cases as Pennsylvania Death Count Lags Federal Data
Federal health officials added 178 new cases to the 2026 national total, while state and federal records diverge on the number of deaths in the nation's largest outbreak.
By Elijah Fitzgerald ·
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 178 new measles cases in the United States this week, bringing the 2026 national total to 4,588 as of Friday. This figure is more than double the case count recorded for the entirety of 2025. The agency stated that the illness is currently active in at least 43 distinct outbreaks across the country.
Pennsylvania accounts for the largest share of these infections, with state health officials reporting 1,338 cases on the same date. South Carolina and Utah follow, each reporting more than 500 cases. While the federal tally provides a broad overview, experts note that official numbers likely undercount the true prevalence of the disease. Many infected individuals experience symptoms such as rash, fever, and cough that may not prompt an immediate visit to a doctor.
A discrepancy exists between state and federal data regarding deaths. Pennsylvania authorities have confirmed five measles-associated deaths and are investigating a sixth. The CDC has reported only three measles deaths nationally. Federal officials have not specified the location of the third death, creating uncertainty about whether it aligns with Pennsylvania’s state-level records.
According to Reuters, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asked senior CDC officials in September to remove one measles death from the official tally. He questioned whether the disease directly contributed to the patient’s death. This move occurred alongside a broader review of how the agency tracks vaccine-related data.
The HHS also announced changes to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS, this week. The proposal allows doctors to bill for reporting suspected vaccine injuries. VAERS is a database used by researchers to track rare safety issues, though it has frequently been cited by anti-vaccine activists to support claims about vaccine risks. All vaccines carry some level of risk, a fact acknowledged by medical experts.
Kennedy has significantly altered the oversight structure for vaccine safety. He dismissed all 17 members of the expert panel that previously evaluated whether vaccine benefits outweighed risks. He replaced them with appointees who share his ideological views, a decision a court blocked in March. In his role as secretary, Kennedy has also directed the CDC to remove specific claims about autism from its website and has suggested that vitamin A and cod liver oil may assist children with measles, a claim leading physicians described as misleading.
