Pennsylvania is facing the worst measles outbreak in the country. The state health department has counted 1,398 cases, about 27% of all US cases this year. Five measles-associated deaths have been reported in Pennsylvania, including two infants, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Yet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists just three measles deaths for the entire country.

That gap matters. When deaths go uncounted, the real danger stays hidden and help can show up too late. Pennsylvania only began applying for CDC emergency assistance in September, even as cases kept climbing.

This outbreak is not just hitting kids. About two-thirds of Pennsylvania’s cases are in adults. Health workers have given about 150,000 doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine since August 1, and pop-up clinics are reaching rural families in Lancaster County. That work is helping, but the virus is spreading. New York’s governor declared a statewide health emergency after more than 100 cases that experts believe are connected to outbreaks in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Measles can be prevented. Protecting families should not be a fight between political parties. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the CDC should count every measles-associated death openly and send full emergency support now. Governor Josh Shapiro and the Pennsylvania Department of Health should keep free, local vaccine clinics running in ways that respect every community they serve.

Sign the petition to demand an honest count and full federal help before measles takes another life.