CDC Excludes Pennsylvania Measles Deaths Amid Investigation
Federal health agency omits two reported deaths pending further review, following a political dispute.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made
CDC Excludes Pennsylvania Measles Deaths Amid Investigation
Photograph: Protect Our Care (embedded from source)
What this story says
- The CDC has excluded two measles-associated deaths reported by Pennsylvania from its latest weekly update.
- CDC Director Erica Schwartz ordered the exclusion while the agency investigates the deaths.
- The dispute follows a public disagreement between RFK Jr. and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
- The CDC's latest measles case count stands at 2,903.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 15 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 1 of the 16 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
50/100
Craft
55/100
Hype
45/100
16 sources · methodology
Pennsylvania officials confirmed two measles-associated deaths in Lancaster County. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has excluded these deaths from its latest weekly measles update, stating the exclusion is pending further investigation. CDC Director Erica Schwartz ordered the exclusion. The CDC's latest national measles case count was reported as 2,903.
Disagreement over Pennsylvania measles deaths
Pennsylvania officials reported two measles-associated deaths in Lancaster County. The CDC, however, excluded these from its weekly update, citing ongoing investigation. The agency's decision followed a public dispute between RFK Jr. and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. The CDC reported 70 hospitalizations and hundreds of measles infections in Lancaster County.
What the coverage left out
None of the left-rated digests mention the specific number of hospitalisations or infections in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, details that were present in some right-rated digests.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 1 time, most recently on 1 Sept 2026, 19:15, and will add the sides that appear.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
8 rated outlets
- Left-rated reports focused on the CDC's exclusion of the two Pennsylvania measles deaths from its weekly update, often highlighting the unusual nature of the decision. Several reports noted that CDC Director Erica Schwartz ordered the exclusion. The dispute was frequently linked to a public spat between RFK Jr. and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, with some outlets describing RFK Jr.'s remarks as 'fabricated' or 'anti-vaxxer conspiracy theorist' rhetoric. Reports mentioned the CDC's latest measles case count of 2,903 and Pennsylvania's 70 hospitalizations and hundreds of infections in Lancaster County.
Centre
3 rated outlets
- Centre-rated reports highlighted the CDC's decision to omit the two Pennsylvania measles-associated deaths from its latest count, noting it was an unusual move for the agency. These reports frequently mentioned the involvement of CDC Director Erica Schwartz in the decision and the preceding public disagreement between RFK Jr. and Governor Josh Shapiro. The CDC's total case count of 2,903 was also noted.
Right
4 rated outlets
- Right-rated reports focused on the CDC's exclusion of the Pennsylvania measles deaths from its weekly update, with some framing it as an omission pending investigation. One report mentioned that Pennsylvania authorities reported two deaths from measles, and that both patients were unvaccinated. This report also stated that measles was reportedly ravaging Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where 70 people had been hospitalised and hundreds infected, and noted the CDC's reported 2,777 cases nationwide at the time. Another report discussed Governor Josh Shapiro's claims about vaccination rates falling under President Trump, contrasting them with data from his own state.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover CDC Excludes Pennsylvania Measles Deaths Amid Investigation?
- Of the 15 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 53% are rated left, 20% are rated centre, 27% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 16. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is CDC Excludes Pennsylvania Measles Deaths Amid Investigation left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 15 rated outlets on this story, 53% are rated left, 20% are rated centre, 27% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of CDC Excludes Pennsylvania Measles Deaths Amid Investigation biased?
- CDC Excludes Pennsylvania Measles Deaths Amid Investigation is one event reported by 16 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which outlets covered CDC Excludes Pennsylvania Measles Deaths Amid Investigation?
- 16 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- Why did the CDC exclude two measles deaths from Pennsylvania?
- The CDC excluded two measles-associated deaths reported by Pennsylvania from its weekly update because the agency is conducting a further investigation into the cause of these deaths. CDC Director Erica Schwartz ordered the exclusion pending the outcome of this review.
- What is the latest measles case count?
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest measles update reported a total of 2,903 cases nationwide. This figure represents the national tally of confirmed measles infections.
- Was there a political element to the exclusion of the deaths?
- Yes, the exclusion followed a public dispute between RFK Jr. and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. Several reports indicated that the disagreement over the nature of the deaths was politically charged.
Read it at the source
16 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
8- Health officials exclude two measles-related deaths in Pennsylvania after RFK Jr's 'fabricated' remark. Former CDC lead calls it 'highly unusual' (opens We Got This Covered in a new tab)
We Got This Covered — is We Got This Covered biased? Our profile of this outlet
- RFK Jr. Goes Full Anti-Vaxxer Conspiracy Theorist Over 2 PA Measles Deaths (opens Techdirt in a new tab)
- CDC director challenges Pennsylvania’s report of 2 measles deaths (opens The Seattle Times in a new tab)
The Seattle Times — is The Seattle Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- New CDC Director Orders 2 Deaths Kept Off Measles List (opens Newser in a new tab)
- New CDC director delays adding Pennsylvania deaths to measles data (opens The Washington Post in a new tab)
The Washington Post — is The Washington Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- CDC leaves Pennsylvania deaths off national measles tally after vaccine spat between RFK Jr., Gov. Shapiro (opens Philly Voice in a new tab)
Philly Voice — is Philly Voice biased? Our profile of this outlet
- CDC leaves out 2 Pa. measles-associated deaths in latest official count (opens NBC Philadelphia in a new tab)
NBC Philadelphia — is NBC Philadelphia biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Measles deaths reported in Pennsylvania spark fight among politicians and health officials (opens The Keystone in a new tab)
The Keystone — is The Keystone biased? Our profile of this outlet
Centre
3- The CDC left two measles-associated Pa. deaths out of its latest count after RFK Jr. sparred with Gov. Shapiro (opens Hastings Tribune in a new tab)
Hastings Tribune — is Hastings Tribune biased? Our profile of this outlet
- The CDC Hasn’t Added 2 Deaths to Its Measles Database (opens Political Wire in a new tab)
Political Wire — is Political Wire biased? Our profile of this outlet
- The CDC Posted Its Delayed Measles Update at 2,903 Cases and Left Two Pennsylvania Deaths Uncounted (opens Medical Daily in a new tab)
Medical Daily — is Medical Daily biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
4- CDC omits Pennsylvania measles deaths from weekly update (opens Washington Examiner in a new tab)
Washington Examiner — is Washington Examiner biased? Our profile of this outlet
- RFK Jr.’s Measles Misinformation Has Deadly Consequences. (opens thyblackman.com in a new tab)
thyblackman.com — is thyblackman.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Measles, Captain Ahab, and the White Whale (opens PJ Media in a new tab)
- Josh Shapiro Says Vaccination Rates Are Falling Under Trump. His State’s Data Say Otherwise. (opens The Daily Wire in a new tab)
The Daily Wire — is The Daily Wire biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
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