New York child dies of measles, first fatal case in state in 30 years | Vaccines and immunization

An upstate New York child has died after contracting measles, marking the state’s first death from the disease in 30 years, state officials announced Monday.

The child died in Lewis County, about 90 miles north of Syracuse, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

“I am heartbroken to learn that a child in Lewis County has died after contracting measles,” Hochul said in a statement.

Hochul linked the death to the federal government’s stance on vaccination, saying, “This is the first measles-related death in New York in 30 years, a devastating reminder of what is at stake when Washington deliberately erodes decades of progress in protecting Americans from preventable diseases.” »

Measles is a highly contagious virus that can cause serious health complications. Although rare, deaths from measles occur in approximately one to three patients per 1,000 cases.

The United States stopped the spread of measles in 2000 by maintaining high vaccination rates, but in recent years it has fallen below the 95% coverage rate needed to prevent outbreaks of the viral disease.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed three deaths associated with measles in the United States this year, but state health departments have reported higher numbers. Pennsylvania health officials have reported six deaths this year.

Hochul declared a state of emergency in early October due to measles cases in neighboring states and rural New York.

The executive order expanded the number of people who could administer the measles vaccine to include paramedics, midwives and others, and it allowed nurses to join doctors in ordering tests.

The CDC reported 4,588 cases of measles across the country in 2026 as of late October, more than double the 2025 count.

Pennsylvania alone reported 1,338 cases the same day. The CDC also reported large outbreaks in South Carolina and Utah, both of which are reporting more than 500 cases.

Robert F Kennedy Jr, secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has been criticized for his comments on some vaccines and has made sweeping changes to vaccination policy, including reducing recommendations for childhood vaccinations by a third.

With Associated Press