Pennsylvania seeks CDC help amid dispute over US measles deaths
Summary
Pennsylvania has asked the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for help with a growing measles outbreak that has caused several deaths. However, the state says it will cancel the request unless the CDC officially recognizes four deaths linked to measles, a point the CDC disputes.Key Facts
- Pennsylvania is experiencing a major measles outbreak with 731 confirmed cases across 38 counties.
- Four unvaccinated people have died, according to Pennsylvania health officials.
- The CDC has not agreed to officially count these deaths as caused by measles, saying evidence is unclear.
- Pennsylvania wants the CDC to recognize the deaths to aid public health efforts and has threatened to withdraw its request for emergency federal help.
- The CDC says it has not formally received Pennsylvania’s request for assistance.
- The disagreement involves how to classify deaths: “measles-associated” (linked to measles) versus deaths directly “caused” by measles.
- The outbreak is the worst in the U.S. since 1991. Measles was declared eliminated in 2000 but has returned partly due to some people refusing vaccines.
- Most measles cases in Pennsylvania are among unvaccinated people, with less than 1% of cases in vaccinated individuals.
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