CDC in the US changes how it counts measles deaths
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has changed how it counts measles deaths amid an outbreak of the disease in Pennsylvania. The agency will now use data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) rather than the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS), The Guardian reports.
New counting procedure
The CDC announced the change in a note on its website published on September 4. Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services, said that the CDC would report measles deaths if the NCHS lists measles as the underlying cause of death.
In a note beneath its death indicator, the CDC stated that the NCHS currently has no records of deaths in 2026 in which measles was listed as the underlying cause. Former CDC chief medical officer Debra Houry called the decision unclear, noting that the NCHS system is designed to analyze long-term mortality trends rather than confirm an individual case.
Deaths and cases in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania officials this year confirmed two deaths associated with measles: a newborn child and a six-week-old infant. Jefferson County coroner Greg Furlong also reported the death of an unvaccinated 40-year-old woman preliminarily linked to measles.
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According to him, the woman had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and required round-the-clock oxygen support, which increased the risk of complications. She did not seek medical care for a suspected infection. She had a rash characteristic of measles and other symptoms, while a person in her close circle had recently tested positive for measles.
The woman's nasal swab is being tested for measles. Furlong said the death is being classified as probably associated with measles because of an epidemiological link to a confirmed case. After the investigation is completed, including after the test result is received, the Pennsylvania Department of Health is to notify the CDC.
As of Friday, 676 confirmed measles cases had been registered in Pennsylvania. Furlong believes the actual number of infections may be higher than the official data. He also stressed the importance of a measles vaccination rate of at least 95% to protect people vulnerable to infection or unable to be vaccinated, including infants under six months old and pregnant women.
