LANCASTER, Wis. — A second child has died of measles in Grant County, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the Grant County Health Department confirmed Friday.
Health officials did not specify the child’s age or gender, but said his death was linked to the state’s ongoing measles outbreak. The Department of Health Services said that as of Friday, 649 cases of measles had been confirmed in 20 counties since August.
An infant died of measles in Grant County last week, marking the first measles death in Wisconsin since 1990.
Measles is spread through the air. The virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Symptoms usually develop 10 to 12 days after exposure and may include:
- Runny nose
- High fever, sometimes above 104°F
- Fatigue
- Cough
- Red, watery eyes
- A red rash that usually starts at the hairline and spreads to the arms and legs
People who develop symptoms should stay home and call a healthcare professional before going to a clinic. The best protection against measles is vaccination with the two-dose measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, known as MMR.
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