Following reports that two people in Pennsylvania have died during a major measles outbreak, US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has faced renewed scrutiny over social media posts criticizing vaccination and promoting claims disputed by public health experts.
The reported deaths are the first measles-related fatalities in Pennsylvania in 35 years and the first reported in the United States in 2026. They come as a measles outbreak in Lancaster County has infected nearly 400 people and cases of vaccine-preventable diseases continue to rise nationwide. The United States has recorded approximately 2,800 measles cases so far this year—the highest annual total since 1991.
Pennsylvania health officials initially released limited information about the deaths, saying only that both victims were unvaccinated and lived in Lancaster County. On Wednesday, reports indicated that one of the victims had been a newborn. The disclosure intensified criticism of Kennedy’s online commentary and renewed concerns about vaccine misinformation during an active public health emergency.
As news of the deaths spread Tuesday, Kennedy used his personal social media account to criticize Pennsylvania officials and question the public health response. His comments drew condemnation from health experts and elected officials who said they could undermine confidence in measles vaccination and other routine immunizations.
Kennedy also attacked Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has previously criticized the health secretary’s statements and activities related to vaccines. Kennedy additionally blamed the Biden administration for declining vaccination rates, without providing evidence that supported the claim.
On Wednesday, after reports identified one of the Pennsylvania victims as a newborn, Kennedy posted from the official account of the US Department of Health and Human Services. He suggested that the death “may even have been completely fabricated” by a member of the governor’s staff, citing a post from Lancaster County Republican Commissioner Josh Parsons claiming that “zero measles deaths” had been reported in the county.
That assertion appears to conflict with statements from Pennsylvania health officials and subsequent reporting about the fatalities. Public health authorities continue to urge people to verify measles information through official sources and to ensure that eligible children and adults are up to date on the highly effective measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Source: arstechnica.com