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HealthQuiet 9d · day 9

Shapiro accuses RFK Jr. of suppressing measles death reports amid Pennsylvania outbreak

Pennsylvania's governor says the HHS secretary intervened to hide state deaths; Kennedy denies the claim and blames political grandstanding.

newest coverage 8d agosummary written 4d ago2 pieces Newswires

What to know

  • Pennsylvania has four measles deaths in a single year—the first in 35 years—with 693 confirmed cases; Shapiro blames Kennedy's vaccine skepticism for fueling lower vaccination rates.
  • Shapiro accuses Kennedy of personally intervening to suppress CDC reporting of Pennsylvania deaths; Kennedy denies this and says CDC applies consistent national standards.
  • Nationally, measles deaths since Kennedy took office in 2025 have exceeded the total from the previous 20 years combined, despite Kennedy's recent public endorsement of MMR vaccination.

“This disease was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000 — yet decades later, we are seeing it surge due to lower vaccination rates.”

Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania · Newsweek / X post ↗

Josh ShapiroJosh Shapiro Governor of PennsylvaniaRobert F. Kennedy Jr.Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Secretary of Health and Human Services

Shapiro accuses RFK Jr. of suppressing measles death reports amid Pennsylvania outbreak
Newsweek

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articles

Peak 1 piece in two hours at Sep 15, 11 AM; 2 pieces over 9 days (2 articles) Sep 15, 11 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 15, 1 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 15, 3 PM — quietSep 15, 5 PM — quietSep 15, 7 PM — quietSep 15, 9 PM — quietSep 15, 11 PM — quietSep 16, 1 AM — quietSep 16, 3 AM — quietSep 16, 5 AM — quietSep 16, 7 AM — quietSep 16, 9 AM — quietSep 16, 11 AM — quietSep 16, 1 PM — quietSep 16, 3 PM — quietSep 16, 5 PM — quietSep 16, 7 PM — quietSep 16, 9 PM — quietSep 16, 11 PM — quietSep 17, 1 AM — quietSep 17, 3 AM — quietSep 17, 5 AM — quietSep 17, 7 AM — quietSep 17, 9 AM — quietSep 17, 11 AM — quietSep 17, 1 PM — quietSep 17, 3 PM — quietSep 17, 5 PM — quietSep 17, 7 PM — quietSep 17, 9 PM — quietSep 17, 11 PM — quietSep 18, 1 AM — quietSep 18, 3 AM — quietSep 18, 5 AM — quietSep 18, 7 AM — quietSep 18, 9 AM — quietSep 18, 11 AM — quietSep 18, 1 PM — quietSep 18, 3 PM — quietSep 18, 5 PM — quietSep 18, 7 PM — quietSep 18, 9 PM — quietSep 18, 11 PM — quietSep 19, 1 AM — quietSep 19, 3 AM — quietSep 19, 5 AM — quietSep 19, 7 AM — quietSep 19, 9 AM — quietSep 19, 11 AM — quietSep 19, 1 PM — quietSep 19, 3 PM — quietSep 19, 5 PM — quietSep 19, 7 PM — quietSep 19, 9 PM — quietSep 19, 11 PM — quietSep 20, 1 AM — quietSep 20, 3 AM — quietSep 20, 5 AM — quietSep 20, 7 AM — quietSep 20, 9 AM — quietSep 20, 11 AM — quietSep 20, 1 PM — quietSep 20, 3 PM — quietSep 20, 5 PM — quietSep 20, 7 PM — quietSep 20, 9 PM — quietSep 20, 11 PM — quietSep 21, 1 AM — quietSep 21, 3 AM — quietSep 21, 5 AM — quietSep 21, 7 AM — quietSep 21, 9 AM — quietSep 21, 11 AM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — quietSep 21, 3 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 21, 11 PM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 3 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — quietSep 22, 9 AM — quietSep 22, 11 AM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 3 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 7 PM — quietSep 22, 9 PM — quietSep 22, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quietToday, 5 AM — quiet 1–2
Sep 16Sep 17Sep 18Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22yesterdaynow · 6:44 AM ET
  1. 2

    Kennedy denies death suppression claim; blames Shapiro for politicizing outbreak

    Kennedy responded on X, calling Shapiro's suppression claim false and saying the CDC applies consistent national standards. He accused Shapiro of politicizing the outbreak and refusing federal assistance, and said he had offered CDC Epi-Aid epidemiologists to help with state response, which other states including Texas, South Carolina, and Virginia have already requested and used successfully.

    “Governor Shapiro's claim that I directed CDC to suppress Pennsylvania deaths is false. CDC is applying a consistent national standard rather than allowing politicians to decide which deaths appear in federal mortality statistics.”
    — Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
  2. 1

    Two more measles deaths reported in Pennsylvania; Shapiro accuses Kennedy of suppression

    Two additional measles-associated deaths were reported in Pennsylvania, bringing the state total to four deaths—the first in 35 years. Governor Josh Shapiro posted on X that Pennsylvania is experiencing the worst measles outbreak in the country with 693 cases in 38 counties, and accused Secretary Kennedy of personally intervening to direct the CDC to not report these deaths.

    “It is also deeply concerning to learn that the Secretary personally intervened in an otherwise administrative process to direct the CDC to not report these Pennsylvania deaths, presumably because it doesn't fit his phony narrative.”
    — Josh Shapiro
    1. 1 outlet Pennsylvania Governor Blasts RFK Jr After Two More Measles-Related Deaths

      first by Newsweek, 8d ago

  3. background

    Kennedy endorses MMR vaccination in CNN interview — Despite his decades of vaccine skepticism, Kennedy encouraged parents to vaccinate their children against measles in an August interview with CNN's Dana Bash, indicating a softened stance on the MMR vaccine since becoming public health secretary.

  4. background

    RFK Jr. becomes HHS Secretary; measles deaths surge nationwide — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took office as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Since then, recorded measles-linked deaths have surpassed those recorded in the previous 20 years combined, with five confirmed deaths total (three in 2025, two in 2026).