A child in Lewis County, New York, has died after contracting measles, officials announced on Monday. It is the state’s first measles-related death in 30 years. Governor Kathy Hochul said measles is highly contagious, and vaccination remains the best protection against the disease.
What officials said
The New York state and Lewis County health departments issued a joint statement expressing their condolences and urging New Yorkers to stay up to date on vaccines. Governor Hochul called the death a devastating reminder of what is at stake when protection against preventable illnesses is eroded. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has deployed epidemiologists and other experts at the state’s request to help with surveillance, data analysis and outbreak response.
Outbreak in New York
Surging measles cases prompted Governor Hochul to declare a statewide disaster emergency last month. As of 24 October, 178 cases had been reported across New York. Lewis County reported 15 cases as of 14 October, all in people who had not received the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Measles is a highly contagious disease that can cause serious complications and death.
Measles across the US
More than 4,800 measles cases have been reported across the US this year, the most since 1991. That is almost a decade before measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000. More than a quarter of this year’s cases have been in Pennsylvania, which has reported five measles-related deaths. The Pan American Health Organization is set to hold a measles elimination commission meeting next week, when the US is widely expected to lose the elimination status it has held since 2000.
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Why vaccination matters
Measles typically causes about 1 in 5 people who are not vaccinated to be hospitalised, according to the CDC. Health officials say the MMR vaccine is the best protection against the disease. US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has drawn broad criticism for his response to measles outbreaks, including downplaying the immunity provided by the MMR vaccine.
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