CDC Sending More Help for Pennsylvania Measles Outbreak

The Pennsylvania measles outbreak is getting federal backup. The CDC said Tuesday it will deploy additional support to the state to investigate the ongoing surge after Pennsylvania formally requested help through the agency’s Epi-Aid program.

The state has reported 1,136 measles cases and five linked deaths this year, as of October 9. The federal team will assist with case tracking, data analysis and control measures.

A Dispute Over the Death Count

The response has been shadowed by a disagreement between Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over how the deaths are classified and counted. The CDC, for its part, has reported two measles-associated deaths nationwide as of October 8.

Public health experts say accurate counting matters for shaping the response, and the dispute has drawn national attention to the outbreak.

A Nationwide Tool

Epi-Aid deployments are a standing CDC mechanism that states request when an outbreak outpaces local resources. Texas, South Carolina, Virginia, Kansas, New Mexico and Wisconsin have all used Epi-Aids for their own measles investigations this year.

With cases continuing, the added federal support in Pennsylvania aims to strengthen surveillance and help bring the outbreak under control.

Source: Reuters