Measles deaths reported in Pennsylvania spark feud among politicians and health officials
Summary
Pennsylvania reported two deaths linked to measles, a disease that had been nearly eliminated in the U.S. Politicians and health officials are disagreeing about how to describe the deaths amid a rise in measles cases across the country.Key Facts
- Two unvaccinated people in Pennsylvania died after catching measles.
- Governor Josh Shapiro said these deaths could have been prevented by vaccines.
- U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. questioned if the deaths actually happened.
- There is a larger increase in measles cases nationwide, with more cases in 2026 than all of 2025.
- The U.S. stopped measles from spreading inside the country in 2000 by vaccinating most people.
- Vaccination rates have dropped below the 95% needed to stop outbreaks.
- Experts say the political fight is distracting from the health risks measles poses.
- The World Health Organization counts a death as measles-related if the person tested positive, died within a month of the rash, and the death was not caused by something unrelated like an injury.
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