BETHLEHEM, Pa. \u2014 U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Thursday that Pennsylvania\u2019s governor refused federal help with the state\u2019s measles outbreak, the same day the CDC said it is sending one of its scientists there.<\/p>\n
The exchange renews a dispute between Kennedy and Gov. Josh Shapiro over how the nation\u2019s worst measles outbreak in 30 years is handled and counted. Pennsylvania has reported six measles deaths. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has acknowledged two.<\/p>\n
Asked at an event in Virginia about the outbreak and its deaths, Kennedy said Shapiro\u2019s administration was \u201cpoliticizing the outbreak\u201d and that \u201cthe people of Pennsylvania suffered,\u201d according to video C-SPAN posted on X.<\/p>\n
@cspan on X<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m confident that we\u2019ll bring that outbreak to a quick close,\u201d Kennedy said.<\/p>\n Stay informed on Lehigh Valley news<\/p>\n Get our newsletter for ongoing coverage and follow-ups on stories like this one.<\/p>\n By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy<\/a> and consent to receive updates.<\/p>\n The dispute over aid<\/p>\n Kennedy said Pennsylvania was the only state whose governor would not accept Epi-Aid, a CDC program that sends federal disease investigators to help a state. He said state officials told the federal government they did not want help from the Trump administration. \u201cThis week we finally got the request from Pennsylvania,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Shapiro said at an Aug. 25 news conference announcing the state\u2019s first two deaths that Kennedy had called that morning to offer staff. He said he appreciated the offer but believed the Department of Health could manage the outbreak, and that he told Kennedy his rhetoric was hurting Pennsylvania communities.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s real-life consequences to spreading misinformation,\u201d Shapiro said.<\/p>\n The state\u2019s timeline since then differs from Kennedy\u2019s. In a September update, the Department of Health said it began the formal process of requesting Epi-Aid on Sept. 16 and that talks with the CDC on what help to provide were ongoing. It also said it has \u201ca strong working relationship with CDC professional staff.\u201d The department\u2019s release<\/a> did not say whether it later completed the request.<\/p>\n What the CDC is sending<\/p>\n A CDC \u201cdisease detective\u201d from its Epidemic Intelligence Service is due to arrive later this week, NBC News<\/a> reported, citing a CDC spokesperson, and will be the agency\u2019s first in-person help in the state. The CDC is also releasing nearly $4 million for the response.<\/p>\n Where the outbreak stands<\/p>\n Pennsylvania has at least 1,222 confirmed cases and 225 hospitalizations, NBC reported. The CDC lists two of the six deaths on its measles website and calls the others \u201cunder review.\u201d<\/p>\n In the Lehigh Valley<\/p>\n The state Health Department\u2019s dashboard, last updated Oct. 14, lists two cases in Lehigh County and none in Northampton County, by county of residence. Lancaster County, where the outbreak is centered, has 443 of the state\u2019s 1,222.<\/p>\n Lehigh County also had two cases on Aug. 3, when St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network announced<\/a> what it called its first Lehigh Valley case in recent memory. Allentown and Bethlehem run their own health bureaus, whose counts can differ from the state\u2019s.<\/p>\n Stay informed on Lehigh Valley news<\/p>\n Get our newsletter for ongoing coverage and follow-ups on stories like this one.<\/p>\n