CDC reports 4,588 measles cases as oversight shifts under new HHS leadership

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 4,588 cases of measles in the United States as of Friday, a figure that more than doubles the total for all of 2025. This count reflects an additional 178 cases reported this week across at least 43 active outbreaks.

Pennsylvania remains the epicenter of the illness, with state authorities logging 1,338 cases on the same day. Large outbreaks are also active in South Carolina and Utah, where each state has reported more than 500 cases. While the vaccine is 97% effective, the disease continues to spread, hospitalizing one in five unvaccinated infected individuals and killing one to three people per 1,000.

Discrepancies have emerged in official mortality data. The CDC has reported three measles-related deaths nationally but has not specified the location of the third death. State officials in Pennsylvania, which has had the worst outbreak for months, have reported five confirmed deaths and are investigating a sixth. This ambiguity has raised questions about whether the federal tally includes deaths that have already been counted by state agencies.

Tensions between the CDC and the Health and Human Services department have intensified regarding how these deaths are verified. According to a report by Reuters, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asked senior CDC officials in September to remove a specific measles death from the official tally. He questioned whether the disease contributed to the patient's death, a move that critics argue lacks transparency.

The agency is also modifying its infrastructure for tracking vaccine safety. HHS announced changes to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS, this week. The new proposal allows physicians to bill for reporting suspected vaccine injuries. While researchers use VAERS to track rare safety issues, the system has become a frequent target for anti-vaccine activists who cite reports to argue against vaccine safety.

Kennedy has made vaccine policy a central focus of his tenure. He fired all 17 members of the expert panel that previously evaluated vaccine risks and benefits, replacing them with individuals aligned with his views. A court blocked the appointment of these new members in March. During his time in office, he has also claimed that the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine contains aborted fetal debris and suggested that vitamin A and cod liver oil may treat measles.

The shift in leadership has altered how the public health apparatus communicates with the public. The CDC previously stated on its website that vaccines do not cause autism, a claim Kennedy directed the agency to remove. He also claimed children receive more than 90 vaccine doses in early childhood, a figure experts described as misleading. These policy and communication changes are unfolding as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise.