Pennsylvania is seeking emergency help from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to address a growing measles outbreak, which has now resulted in four confirmed deaths. The state is requesting a specific type of federal aid called an Epi-Aid, which is used in public health emergencies. However, Pennsylvania’s health department has warned that it may withdraw this request if the CDC does not publicly acknowledge the four deaths linked to measles. Debra Bogen, Pennsylvania’s health secretary, explained in a letter to CDC Director Erica Schwartz that the lack of transparency from the CDC could hinder the state’s efforts to control the outbreak. The situation has become more complicated due to a disagreement between Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. health secretary. Kennedy has challenged the state’s count of measles-related deaths, suggesting that some may not be directly caused by the virus. He also directed the CDC not to include Pennsylvania’s reported fatalities in the national death tally, a move that health experts have called unusual and potentially misleading. They warn that such actions could lead people to underestimate the risks of measles, which can be severe, especially for unvaccinated individuals. Pennsylvania’s stance on seeking federal assistance has changed over time. Initially, the state said it could handle the outbreak without help, but the situation has worsened. As of Wednesday, the state reported 731 confirmed measles cases across 38 counties, with four deaths attributed to the disease. The health department has now turned to the CDC for support, showing a shift in strategy as the outbreak continues to grow. The CDC and Pennsylvania’s health department have not yet commented on the situation. The outbreak is part of a larger resurgence of measles in the U.S., the worst in over 30 years, fueled by declining vaccination rates. Recently, it was revealed that the Trump administration altered how it counts measles deaths, using data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) instead of previous methods. The reason for this change is unclear. Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican, has criticized the Trump administration’s approach to vaccines, linking it to the recent deaths in Pennsylvania.