US measles toll hits 4,588 as health secretary reshapes vaccine oversight

American health agencies recorded 4,588 confirmed measles cases nationwide on Friday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) logged 178 additional infections in the current week, extending a multi-year surge in the vaccine-preventable disease.

Pennsylvania remains the hardest-hit state with 1,338 reported cases. South Carolina and Utah each account for more than 500 infections, contributing to a total of at least 43 active outbreaks across the country.

The current 2026 total is more than double the number recorded in 2025. Experts note that official figures likely undercount the true spread because common symptoms like fever and cough often do not prompt immediate medical visits. The virus infects one in five unvaccinated individuals who go on to require hospitalization, and death occurs in one to three cases per 1,000 infections.

Disagreement over mortality data has intensified under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The CDC has officially reported three national deaths but has not specified the location of the third fatality. Pennsylvania authorities have reported five deaths and are investigating a sixth. Reuters reported that Kennedy asked senior CDC officials in September to remove a specific measles death from the tally after questioning its cause.

The department also moved this week to alter the vaccine adverse event reporting system, known as VAERS. A new proposal will allow physicians to bill for reporting suspected vaccine injuries. This system has long been a focal point for anti-vaccine groups, who use it to cite safety concerns, though researchers rely on the data to track rare side effects.

Kennedy has replaced all 17 members of the expert vaccine advisory board with ideologically aligned appointees, a move a court blocked in March. He has also directed the CDC to remove language from its website stating that vaccines do not cause autism, despite prior scientific consensus.