Kennedy changes federal counting of measles deaths

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the federal government will no longer automatically include state reports of deaths among people diagnosed with measles in its published national tally. The change comes as Pennsylvania officials report five measles-associated deaths and a sixth suspected death, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed two such deaths nationwide in 2026 and says other cases remain under review. Under the approach Kennedy described, the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics will first confirm measles as an underlying cause on a person’s death certificate before the death enters the federal count. That review can take weeks, according to health experts. The CDC has also said it is reevaluating how measles deaths are defined. State and federal figures reflect different stages of classification. State and local officials have traditionally reported deaths involving people diagnosed with measles, while death certificates record a sequence of causes and may identify measles as an underlying or contributing cause. The virus can lead to fatal complications, including pneumonia, or leave patients vulnerable to secondary...