Full Breakdown
Pennsylvania Measles-Death Dispute Escalates Between HHS Secretary and Governor
9/6/2026, 12:09:51 AM
Core Event: Federal-State Clash Over Classification of Two Infant Deaths
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asked CDC director Erica Schwartz to delete a reference to two infant deaths from the agency’s online measles-mortality tracker. Governor Josh Shapiro accused Kennedy of politicizing the outbreak. The dispute hinges on whether both infants died *from* measles or whether one death resulted from a ruptured spleen despite a measles infection.
Background & Context
Measles cases in the United States have risen to the highest level in more than three decades, with the CDC confirming 3,134 cases nationwide in 2026, including 557 in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 577 state cases and 98 hospitalizations. Vaccination rates are declining, a trend officials link to growing vaccine hesitancy.
Timeline
- August 25 – Governor Shapiro announced the first two measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania in 35 years.
- August 14 – A newborn male tested positive for measles but died from a ruptured spleen, according to Lancaster County Coroner Stephen Diamantoni.
- August 28 – The coroner confirmed the spleen-rupture death and noted the infant’s measles infection.
- September 3 – The CDC had not recorded any measles deaths for 2026.
- September 4 – Kennedy accepted that measles caused the death of a six-week-old Amish infant with lethal microcephaly and cited the coroner’s statement; the CDC updated its tracker with an asterisk note.
Data & Statistics
- 3,134 national measles cases (CDC).
- 557 Pennsylvania cases (CDC).
- Two infant deaths:
- A six-week-old Amish girl died directly from measles.
- A newborn male died from a ruptured spleen; the coroner said measles was not the underlying cause.
Official Statements & Responses
- The CDC’s website added a note that current information does not establish measles as the cause or contributing factor for the Pennsylvania deaths.
- The Lancaster County Coroner reiterated that measles caused the Amish infant’s death but attributed the other infant’s death to a lacerated spleen.
Criticism & Opposition
- Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, called the CDC’s removal of the deaths “disappointing” and urged focus on vaccinating high-risk communities rather than political disputes.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The facts emerging now demonstrate why CDC waited for the evidence rather than allowing political grandstanding to dictate its reporting,” — Robert F. Kennedy, HHS secretary
- “The secretary had no business interfering in the normal process,” — Georges Benjamin
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The Pennsylvania Department of Health classified both infants as “measles-associated” deaths, while the coroner distinguished one as measles-related and the other as caused by a ruptured spleen.
- The CDC initially accepted the state’s classification but later removed the deaths from its national tally pending further evidence, without specifying the additional data required.
- No death certificates listing measles as the underlying cause have been entered into the National Center for Health Statistics as of September 3, 2026.
What’s Next
The CDC will continue reviewing submitted records and will update its measles-mortality data when additional information becomes available. No specific deadline for a final determination has been announced.
