CDC logs 4,588 US measles cases as state data conflicts with federal records

Federal health officials reported 178 new measles cases in the United States this week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the national total reached 4,588 cases as of Friday. This figure is more than double the number recorded in 2025.

At least 43 distinct outbreaks are currently active across the country. Pennsylvania has logged 1,338 cases, the highest number of any state. South Carolina and Utah are also experiencing large clusters, with each reporting more than 500 cases. Health experts note that these official counts likely understate the true burden of the disease because many people do not seek immediate medical attention for early symptoms like fever and rash.

A discrepancy exists in the official death toll. Pennsylvania state authorities have confirmed five measles-associated deaths and are investigating a sixth. The CDC, however, has reported only three national deaths. The agency has not specified the location of the third death, leaving it unclear whether that case overlaps with the Pennsylvania figures. Robert F Kennedy Jr, the secretary of Health and Human Services, reportedly asked CDC officials in September to remove one death from the tally after questioning if measles contributed to the fatal outcome.

Kennedy is overseeing changes to how the government tracks vaccine safety. The department announced a proposal to allow doctors to bill for reporting suspected vaccine injuries through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS. This system is used by researchers to monitor rare safety issues, though anti-vaccine activists often cite it to argue that vaccines are dangerous. Before Kennedy took office, an independent expert panel reviewed each vaccine change to determine if benefits outweighed risks. Kennedy fired all 17 members of that board and replaced them with allies, a move a court blocked in March.

The measles vaccine is 97% effective at preventing the disease. It carries a risk of side effects such as soreness at the injection site and low-grade fever. For those who are unvaccinated, one in five people who catch measles will be hospitalized. Approximately one to three people in 1,000 die from complications related to the virus. The new data releases come as the administration continues to adjust its stance on public health guidance and vaccine infrastructure.