Updated

As the worst US measles outbreak in decades continues to grow and flu season approaches, public health experts are expressing concern about the reliability of federal health data. The concerns intensified after the CDC publicly questioned the circumstances of two measles deaths in Pennsylvania, raising questions about the agency's transparency and consistency in reporting outbreak-related fatalities. Experts warn that eroding confidence in CDC data could hamper the public health response just as flu season looms, compounding risks from the ongoing measles outbreak. The episode has fueled broader criticism of the agency's handling of infectious disease reporting under the current administration.