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HealthQuiet 7d · day 7

Shapiro refuses federal measles aid, demands CDC confirm four deaths

Pennsylvania governor escalates feud with RFK Jr., accusing health secretary of blocking death reports to protect anti-vax narrative.

newest coverage 6d agosummary written 3d ago2 pieces Newswires

What to know

  • Gov. Shapiro is refusing federal measles aid until the CDC officially acknowledges four deaths in Pennsylvania certified by state health officials and independent coroners.
  • Shapiro alleges HHS Secretary RFK Jr. is suppressing death counts to protect an anti-vaccination narrative; Kennedy denies this and accuses Shapiro of politicizing the outbreak.
  • Pennsylvania has reported 693 measles cases with four deaths since August; over 3,000 cases have been confirmed nationally in 2026—the first major U.S. outbreak in more than 2.5 decades.

“I'm surprised that the president of the United States, confronted with the first measles outbreak in over 2 1/2 decades, knowing that RFK is stoking this, knowing that his health secretary tomorrow is scheduled to speak at a big anti-vax conference, knowing that he's doing all that, people are getting sick. I'm surprised he's letting him get away with it.”

Gov. Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania · Washington Examiner ↗

Josh ShapiroJosh Shapiro Governor of PennsylvaniaRobert F. Kennedy Jr.Robert F. Kennedy Jr. HHS SecretaryDonald TrumpDonald Trump PresidentCenters for Disease Control and Prevention Federal health agency

Shapiro refuses federal measles aid, demands CDC confirm four deaths
washingtonexaminer.com

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

Peak 1 piece in two hours at Sep 16, 10 PM; 2 pieces over 7 days (2 articles) Sep 16, 10 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 17, 12 AM — quietSep 17, 2 AM — quietSep 17, 4 AM — quietSep 17, 6 AM — quietSep 17, 8 AM — quietSep 17, 10 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 17, 12 PM — quietSep 17, 2 PM — quietSep 17, 4 PM — quietSep 17, 6 PM — quietSep 17, 8 PM — quietSep 17, 10 PM — quietSep 18, 12 AM — quietSep 18, 2 AM — quietSep 18, 4 AM — quietSep 18, 6 AM — quietSep 18, 8 AM — quietSep 18, 10 AM — quietSep 18, 12 PM — quietSep 18, 2 PM — quietSep 18, 4 PM — quietSep 18, 6 PM — quietSep 18, 8 PM — quietSep 18, 10 PM — quietSep 19, 12 AM — quietSep 19, 2 AM — quietSep 19, 4 AM — quietSep 19, 6 AM — quietSep 19, 8 AM — quietSep 19, 10 AM — quietSep 19, 12 PM — quietSep 19, 2 PM — quietSep 19, 4 PM — quietSep 19, 6 PM — quietSep 19, 8 PM — quietSep 19, 10 PM — quietSep 20, 12 AM — quietSep 20, 2 AM — quietSep 20, 4 AM — quietSep 20, 6 AM — quietSep 20, 8 AM — quietSep 20, 10 AM — quietSep 20, 12 PM — quietSep 20, 2 PM — quietSep 20, 4 PM — quietSep 20, 6 PM — quietSep 20, 8 PM — quietSep 20, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 12 AM — quietSep 21, 2 AM — quietSep 21, 4 AM — quietSep 21, 6 AM — quietSep 21, 8 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — quietSep 21, 12 PM — quietSep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 2 AM — quiet 1–2
Sep 17Sep 18Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22yesterdaynow · 4:44 AM ET
  1. 1

    Shapiro accuses Kennedy of downplaying measles, expresses surprise at Trump's inaction

    Shapiro escalated criticism, alleging Kennedy doesn't believe measles is a serious issue and described him as 'not connected or grounded in reality.' Shapiro said Kennedy is scheduled to speak at a major anti-vax conference (Children's Health Defense) and expressed surprise that President Trump is allowing the situation to continue.

    “RFK has reached down into his agency to take those names off the dashboard because it doesn't meet his phony narrative... I'm surprised that the president of the United States is letting him get away with this.”
    — Gov. Josh Shapiro
  2. 2

    Shapiro refuses federal aid until CDC confirms four measles deaths

    Speaking with CNN, Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro said he will reject any federal assistance for the measles outbreak until the CDC officially acknowledges the four deaths, which he claims Kennedy is blocking from the federal dashboard to protect an anti-vaccination narrative. Shapiro said the deaths were certified by Pennsylvania's Department of Health and three independent coroners.

    “We will be happy to accept additional support to deal with this crisis, but I'm not going to accept that until RFK does what is right and stops reaching down into his administration and directing the CDC staff not to acknowledge the pain and suffering of these four families in Pennsylvania.”
    — Gov. Josh Shapiro

    1. 1 outlet first by Washington Examiner, 6d ago · read ↗

  3. background

    Kennedy rejects Shapiro's charges, calls governor politicizing outbreak — HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. responded to criticism that he is blocking CDC death reports, saying Shapiro is politicizing the crisis instead of implementing a unified public health response.

  4. background

    Measles outbreak emerges in Pennsylvania with multiple deaths — Pennsylvania Department of Health reports measles cases, with four deaths recorded since August: two infants in August and two additional deaths (a 40-year-old woman and 18-year-old) in September. All four were unvaccinated. Pennsylvania has reported 693 measles cases; over 3,000 confirmed cases are reported nationally in 2026.