Oct 19, 2026
Franklin County coroner confirmed Pennsylvania's sixth measles-related death on Monday, as the state experiences the nation's worst ongoing measles outbreak with over 1,000 cases—the first U.S. outbreak to exceed that threshold since 1991.
Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in response to rising measles cases across New York state, as infections skyrocket nationwide with Pennsylvania reporting over 1,000 cases in its largest outbreak in decades.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order declaring a state disaster emergency in response to a growing measles outbreak, with 108 cases reported as of October 3, 2026—the most since 2019. The declaration, the first such U.S. state emergency since cases began surging in 2025, aims to strengthen the state's response to rising infections concentrated in rural areas.
In her first public speaking event as CDC director, Erica Schwartz, MD, JD, MPH, made rebuilding public trust and transparency her top priorities. Schwartz is the first Black woman to lead the CDC.
President Trump announced he will demand pharmaceutical companies separate combined vaccines into individual doses, one day after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told an anti-vaccine conference that vaccine skeptics have a 'friend at the White House.'
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. delivered a keynote address at a conference hosted by the anti-vaccine organization he founded, telling attendees they have "a friend at the White House" and renewing attacks on vaccine safety.
Pennsylvania health officials confirmed four measles-associated deaths this year, including two additional fatalities announced recently. This brings the US total to the highest level in decades amid a nationwide outbreak that has reached approximately 3,300 cases.
CDC Director Erica Schwartz has been notably absent from public communication just one month into her tenure, as the country enters respiratory virus season with unclear guidance on COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccines amid a worsening measles epidemic.
The Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina reports its children's ward has exceeded capacity due to an influx of suspected and confirmed diphtheria cases. State officials are preparing to brief the public on the outbreak's scale and response measures, though case and death figures have not yet been disclosed.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told CDC staff that the U.S. would have done better in the Covid outbreak by listening to alternative voices, speaking at a memorial for last year's shooting at the agency.
The Trump administration announced it will immediately release $600 million in congressionally appropriated funds for Gavi, the global vaccine alliance serving the world's poorest countries. The funds had been withheld due to unsubstantiated safety concerns raised by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The Trump administration announced it is preventing American citizens in the Democratic Republic of Congo from traveling directly to the U.S. on commercial flights, requiring them to spend 21 days elsewhere first. The decision follows an Ebola outbreak that has caused at least 1,830 confirmed cases and 648 deaths in Congo, including one confirmed case involving a U.S. citizen working for a humanitarian organization.
Scientists have initiated a study on Ebola treatments in response to a worsening outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The research effort comes as health authorities work to contain the spread of the deadly virus.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday that funding needed to combat the continent's Ebola outbreak has tripled to $1.4 billion, while the Trump administration simultaneously seeks matching funds from Congress amid concerns over delayed foreign aid spending.
The Office of Management and Budget has proposed rule changes requiring political review of federal scientific grants, while a separate proposal would establish a new science office at the CDC that could give political appointees greater control over agency information and research.
Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican chair of the Senate health committee, blamed the Trump administration's vaccine-skeptical policies for recent measles deaths in Pennsylvania during a confirmation hearing for surgeon general nominee Dr. Nicole Saphier. Cassidy pressed Saphier to state that vaccines do not cause autism and to distance herself from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine positions, which she declined to fully do.
The Virginia Department of Health officially declared a measles outbreak in Buckingham County on May 13, 2026, after identifying 12 cases. Health officials warn there are likely more cases to come.
Colorado is charting an independent course on vaccine promotion as the federal government reduces its public health role, with public health advocates and residents starting a public conversation about vaccine importance.
The New York Times reports that Trump administration cuts to infectious disease research funding and staffing, including disease detectives, have compromised U.S. preparedness for the ongoing hantavirus cruise ship outbreak. The CDC's response is being led by its Global Migration Health division as seven states prepare to receive potentially exposed passengers.
Health officials under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. explored banning certain SSRI antidepressants as part of plans to reduce their use in the United States, sparking significant debate over medication safety and federal regulatory authority.
President Donald Trump announced Thursday he is nominating Dr. Nicole Saphier, a radiologist and former Fox News contributor, for surgeon general after Dr. Casey Means' nomination stalled in the Senate over concerns about her experience and vaccine stance.
The Department of Health and Human Services has filed an appeal against a court ruling that halted many of RFK Jr.'s vaccine policy changes, marking the latest development in the lawsuit filed by the American Association of Pediatrics.
The federal autism committee met for the first time since HHS Secretary Kennedy fired most scientific experts and replaced them with activists and advocates, focusing on 'profound autism.'
Largest measles outbreak in recent U.S. history has been officially declared over after sustained decline in new cases and containment of transmission chains, marking a key public health milestone while underscoring ongoing risks tied to vaccination gaps.