Pennsylvania measles outbreak grows as CDC sends help amid dispute
Pennsylvania has confirmed 1,260 measles cases across 43 counties this year, and state officials say five deaths are linked to the outbreak. Federal health officials have sent a disease investigation team to the state.
By Standard Topic. AI-generated from the reporting listed under Coverage. Published . Updated .
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What happened
Pennsylvania is facing a growing measles outbreak, its largest in 35 years, with more than 1,200 people sickened this year. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is sending its rapid Epi-Aid response team to help investigate and contain the outbreak, following a public clash between Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro over measles-related deaths. Kennedy has accused state officials of politicizing the response, while the state has accepted federal help and says the CDC is obscuring the seriousness of the outbreak by not counting its deaths.
Timeline
- Oct 15, 9:20 AM ET: The CDC announced it would deploy additional resources to Pennsylvania through its Epi-Aid program to aid the measles response.
- Oct 16, 3:44 PM ET: The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced 1,260 confirmed measles cases across 43 counties so far in 2026.
- Oct 16, 5:29 PM ET: Kennedy defended his agency's handling of the outbreak, saying state officials had politicized the response and blaming the covid-19 lockdown for declining measles vaccination rates.
- Oct 16, 6:44 PM ET: Pennsylvania accepted federal help while accusing the CDC of obscuring the seriousness of the outbreak by not counting its deaths.
Coverage
- Kennedy says Shapiro, Pa. officials politicized measles outbreak, blames infections on covid lockdown (triblive.com)
- CDC sending a ‘disease detective’ to help stop measles outbreak in Pennsylvania (NBC News)
- Sixth measles-related death reported as Pennsylvania battles widespread outbreak (scrippsnews.com)
- Pennsylvania measles outbreak tops 1,200 as CDC sends investigator
- Pennsylvania measles outbreak grows past 1,200 cases as CDC sends help
- Pennsylvania measles outbreak grows to 1,260 cases in 43 counties
- Colorado measles case may have exposed people at Denver airport
- Measles cases spread across several U.S. states as outbreaks grow
- Measles outbreaks spread across several states, with New York declaring emergency
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