Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Faces Blame as CDC Measles Total Hits 4,588

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 178 new measles cases in the United States this week, bringing the 2026 national total to 4,588 as of Friday. This figure is more than double the tally recorded for the entire previous year. The agency identified at least 43 active outbreaks across the country.

Pennsylvania remains the epicenter of the surge, with state authorities reporting 1,338 cases on the same day. Large outbreaks are also present in South Carolina and Utah, where each state has logged more than 500 cases. The CDC notes that these official numbers likely represent an undercount of the disease.

A discrepancy exists between federal and state death counts. Pennsylvania officials have reported five measles-associated deaths and are investigating a sixth. In contrast, the CDC has confirmed only three national deaths. The agency has not specified the location of the third death, leaving it unclear if it is counting a Pennsylvania case or one from another state.

Reuters reported that 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 that individual's death. This action has drawn criticism from experts regarding the agency's transparency.

HHS also announced changes to vaccine injury reporting systems this week. A new proposal allows doctors to bill for reporting suspected vaccine injuries. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS, is a long-time focus for the anti-vaccine movement, which uses it to claim safety issues. Researchers use the system to track rare safety problems, though activists often point to it to support unfounded claims.

Kennedy fired all 17 sitting members of the expert panel that previously reviewed vaccine changes. He replaced them with individuals who share his ideological views. A court blocked those appointments in March. The secretary has also claimed children receive more than 90 vaccine doses and stated that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine contains aborted fetal debris.

He further directed the CDC to remove statements from its website saying vaccines do not cause autism. Leading physicians described his suggestion that vitamin A and cod liver oil may help children with measles as misleading. The measles vaccine remains 97% effective at preventing the disease, which hospitalizes one in five unvaccinated infected people.