Reports: RFK Jr. Ordered Removal of Measles Deaths from CDC Count, Agency Staff Continued Tracking Internally

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ordered the deletion of measles death figures from official reporting after Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff had already reviewed and accepted the death reports, according to Ars Technica, which cited unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

The report states that despite the directive to remove the data from public-facing counts, CDC personnel have continued to track the measles deaths internally, keeping a separate record even as the official tally was altered.

Ars Technica did not specify the exact number of deaths involved or the precise timeline of the reported order, and it is not clear from the available reporting what reasons were given for the directive.

Kennedy, who has a long history of vaccine skepticism predating his appointment to lead HHS, has faced scrutiny over his handling of public health messaging around infectious disease outbreaks since taking office.

Neither HHS nor the CDC has publicly confirmed the specifics of the reported deletion order. Ars Technica's report characterizes the matter as ongoing, with internal tracking said to persist even as public data was reportedly changed.

This is a developing story, and further details from official sources have not yet been independently verified beyond the initial reporting.