Trump administration changes how it counts measles deaths amid Pennsylvania outbreak
CDC announces changes to how it reports measles deaths as Pennsylvania continues to confirm more cases
TL;DR
- The CDC is now using data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) to count measles deaths, a change from the previous National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS).
- This change was implemented during a measles outbreak in Pennsylvania, where a third probable death, a 40-year-old unvaccinated woman, was reported.
- Former CDC officials express confusion and concern over the change, stating the NCHS system is intended for long-term mortality trend analysis, not individual case confirmation.
- Pennsylvania has reported 676 confirmed measles cases, though local officials believe the actual number is higher.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr., HHS Secretary, previously questioned the inclusion of earlier measles deaths in official tallies and has a history of spreading anti-vaccine misinformation.