A child in Lewis County has died of measles, marking the first fatality from the viral disease in New York State in 30 years during an ongoing measles outbreak. State health officials and Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed the death, linking the tragedy to falling immunization rates and federal policies.
Lewis County Records First Measles Death in Thirty Years
Public health records show that the county has recorded 15 measles cases this year as of last week. The child died in rural northern New York in Lewis County, located about 93 miles north of Syracuse.
This makes it the area with the fourth-highest measles case count in the state. Seneca County currently has the highest, with 30 cases.
I’m heartbroken to learn that a child in Lewis County has died from measles. My heart goes out to their family and everyone who knew and loved them. This is New York’s first measles-related death in 30 years, a devastating reminder of what’s at stake when Washington deliberately…
New York is experiencing a measles outbreak, with 210 cases through October 31, according to an update from the state health department.
Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted 4,852 confirmed cases of measles throughout the United States as of October 30. This total includes three deaths, as it has yet to confirm all of Pennsylvania’s death.
Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak continues to grow, with 1,433 cases as of yesterday, 269 hospitalizations, and five measles-associated deaths so far this year.
The last New Yorker to die of measles caught the virus during a large outbreak in New York City from March 1990 to the summer of 1991. That outbreak killed at least 21 people and sickened thousands.
Officials Declare State Disaster Emergency
In early October, Kathy Hochul declared a disaster emergency because of measles cases in neighbouring states and in rural areas of New York. The executive order extended the pool of people who can administer measles vaccines to include paramedics, midwives and others, and it allowed nurses to join doctors in ordering testing.
Earlier coverage: US Parents Opt for Earlier Measles Shots Amid Outbreaks