Pennsylvania measles deaths spark political fight between governor and RFK Jr.
Pennsylvania's first measles-related deaths in decades have ignited a public feud between state and federal officials, as Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. traded accusations over the role of the contagious disease in the two fatalities. Independent experts say the clash is a symptom of a broader political battle over how to frame the worst national measles surge in more than three decades.
By Source Reporters Newsdesk
Sat, 29 August 2026 · 2 min read
Pennsylvania's first measles-related deaths in decades have ignited a public feud between state and federal officials, as Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. traded accusations over the role of the contagious disease in the two fatalities. Independent experts say the clash is a symptom of a broader political battle over how to frame the worst national measles surge in more than three decades. (AP)
Pennsylvania officials this week reported that two unvaccinated residents died after being infected with measles, with Shapiro stressing that vaccinations could have averted the deaths. The announcement quickly drew fire from Kennedy, a Trump administration appointee with a history of raising alarms about established vaccines. In a social media post, Kennedy said the deaths "may even have been altogether fabricated." (AP)
Kennedy's attack echoed statements he made last year, when three measles-related deaths were recorded, including his questioning whether one of the children who died was killed by measles. Medical experts interviewed by AP said the renewed fight has diverted attention from a worsening public health threat. "Now it's turned political," said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician in the Pittsburgh area and a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. "It's no longer about getting answers and figuring this out." (AP)
The dispute comes as U.S. measles case counts climb to levels not seen in more than 30 years, according to CDC data cited by AP, with outbreaks tied in part to falling childhood vaccination rates. Health officials in multiple states have warned that waning immunization coverage is leaving communities vulnerable to a disease that was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. (AP)
The Pennsylvania deaths are the first confirmed measles fatalities in the state in decades and among the few recorded nationwide this year. Public health experts say the political dispute risks undermining confidence in routine childhood immunization at a moment when measles is resurging across multiple jurisdictions. (AP)
**Sources:** Associated Press
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