CDC recognizes third measles death, still short of Pennsylvania count

The Centers for Disease Control and ​Prevention (CDC) has added a third U.S. measles death to its national tracker as total cases for 2026 surpass 4,400.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) told Reuters the CDC updated its count after the National Center for Health Statistics received ​a report of a measles-related death and verified the disease was the underlying cause, the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement. The agency’s database does not specify when or where the death occurred.

According to the statement, the CDC is working with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists to develop a standardized case definition for deaths due to measles.

“This work is intended to promote consistent classification and reporting of measles deaths across jurisdictions,” the statement said.

The addition comes shortly after the CDC announced it was sending a disease expert to Pennsylvania — the state with the largest portion of measles cases — to assist with the outbreak. But the federal agency still won’t acknowledge the full, six-person death count the commonwealth has recorded this year.

The CDC website states the number of deaths it recognizes could change as the agency updates its reporting.

Earlier this month, Pennsylvania authorities reported a sixth death connected to the largest measles outbreak the state has faced in decades. The total number of confirmed cases in the commonwealth has crossed 1,200, according to its health department .

The state health department updated its outbreak death toll after the Franklin County Coroner’s Office reported a 39-year-old woman with “several underlying conditions” died following a recent measles diagnosis.

The outbreak in Pennsylvania sparked a feud between state and federal officials. In August, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) accused the Trump administration, namely Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , of spreading misinformation that led to declining vaccination rates.

Kennedy, who has publicly peddled theories linking vaccines to health conditions, defended himself against the governor’s accusations — saying Shapiro provided no evidence that he has spread misinformation and accusing him of politicizing the state’s outbreak.

Last week , Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, argued the Trump administration is not promoting vaccinations vigorously enough.

“My concern as a physician is that everyone should be vaccinated for measles,” Cassidy told CNN’s Jake Tapper. “And you may think it only affects me. That’s not true because you infect other people.”

About 96 percent of Americans infected with measles this year were either not vaccinated against the illness or had an unknown vaccination status, according to the CDC .

In response to the outbreaks, the CDC has issued roughly $100 million in additional funds to state, local and tribal health departments for vaccinations, prevention and disease detection efforts. Despite the funding and support, infectious diseases specialists argue a clearer messaging campaign at the federal level would help strengthen the response to the outbreak.