The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still recording two measles fatalities in an internal system, even though the deaths were removed from the agency’s public data set after a direct request from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., according to two reports released today.
Removal of deaths from public website
Reuters reported that Kennedy instructed the agency’s newly appointed director, Erica Schwartz, to delete the two deaths from the CDC’s public website. The deaths—one of a newborn and one of a child—had been reported the previous week by health officials in Pennsylvania, a state currently experiencing a measles outbreak that has sickened 540 people, including 119 cases in the last seven days.
CDC staff had already reviewed the cases and accepted that they met the agency’s criteria for measles‑related mortality. Nonetheless, Schwartz complied with the request and removed the entries without objection, insiders said. The deletions occurred on August 30, with the entries added and then taken down within hours.
Internal database still lists the deaths
Later in the day, Inside Medicine disclosed that an internal CDC database, known as the “One CDC Data Platform,” continues to list the two fatalities. The platform is accessible to state and local health officials as well as CDC employees. A screenshot of the database, reportedly verified by CDC staff, showed the two deaths still present.
The discrepancy between the public website and the internal platform has prompted inquiries. Ars Technica reached out to the Department of Health and Human Services for comment, but the department did not respond immediately.
The situation highlights ongoing concerns about transparency in public health reporting, especially amid heightened scrutiny of vaccine‑related policies. While the CDC’s public data no longer reflects the two deaths, the internal record suggests that the agency has not fully erased the information from its operational systems.
Both reports underscore the role of senior officials in shaping how health data is presented to the public. Kennedy, who has positioned himself as an anti‑vaccine advocate, used his authority as health secretary to influence the agency’s reporting practices. Erica Schwartz, appointed as CDC director earlier this year, acted on the directive, according to the sources cited.
The Pennsylvania outbreak continues to evolve, with health officials monitoring new cases and emphasizing the importance of vaccination. The state’s health department reported that the outbreak has already affected hundreds of residents, and officials have urged the public to seek immunization to curb further spread.
As the story develops, the retention of the deaths in the internal CDC platform may become a focal point for discussions about data integrity, governmental oversight, and the influence of political actors on public health institutions.
Helene Elliott is the Lead Science & Space Reporter at News Raise. She reports on aerospace missions, astrophysics discoveries, quantum research, and environmental technology.
