CDC reports first measles death amid confusion over Pennsylvania cases

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged Wednesday that one measles death has occurred so far in 2026 but provided no clarity about who died or where.

The agency previously declined to recognize four measles-associated deaths the Pennsylvania Health Department reported over the last month. On Wednesday, the CDC’s measles outbreak page was updated to show one death with a note that the number “is subject to change” and that the agency will “update its reporting as additional information becomes available.”

The change left more questions than answers. The CDC declined to provide details about which death it was referring to or whether it occurred in Pennsylvania. The agency said its National Center for Health Statistics had verified that the death now posted on the CDC website had occurred and that measles had been listed as an underlying cause of death.

Two of the people whose deaths health officials reported in Pennsylvania were babies, including a newborn whose mother had measles while she was pregnant. One was a 40-year-old woman who had a history of asthma and severe lung disease, and another was an 18-year-old who developed a rare neurological condition that causes inflammation in the brain and spinal…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/health