CDC seeks standard measles death reporting amidst outbreaks
疾管署在疫情爆發之際尋求標準化的麻疹死亡通報機制
更新於: 2026年9月20日 上午03:45
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is navigating a complex reporting challenge amid a nationwide measles outbreak.
面對47個轄區內超過3,400例確診病例，該機構面臨壓力，需統一追蹤與麻疹相關死亡案例的方式。
With over 3,400 confirmed cases across 47 jurisdictions, the agency faces pressure to unify how it tracks measles-related fatalities.
爭議源於方法論的轉變：CDC從使用追蹤即時疫情的「國家法定傳染病監測系統」（NNDSS），轉而採用「國家衛生統計中心」（NCHS）的數據。
The controversy stems from a shift in methodology: the CDC moved from using the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS)—which tracks real-time outbreaks—to data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
此變更造成了統計上的落差，例如賓州所通報的死亡案例，未總是被納入聯邦統計數據中，因為NCHS主要追蹤長期死亡率，而非急性疾病指標。
This change has caused a discrepancy where state-reported deaths, such as those in Pennsylvania, do not always appear in federal tallies because the NCHS primarily tracks long-term mortality rather than acute disease markers.
公共衛生專家認為，此作法不適於即時監測。
Consequently, the CDC is now collaborating with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists to create a standardized definition for what constitutes a 'measles death.'
此舉至關重要，明確的通報對於維護公眾信任，並確保地方衛生部門獲得管理疫情所需的聯邦資源是不可或缺的。
This move is vital, as clear reporting is essential for maintaining public trust and ensuring local health departments receive the federal resources necessary to manage outbreaks.
界定死亡是「因」麻疹還是「與」麻疹共存，仍是當前持續努力的關鍵步驟。
Defining whether a death is caused 'by' or 'with' measles remains a critical step in these ongoing efforts.
