Child Dies of Measles in New York, First in 30 Years — SkimNews
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- Lewis County — the child who died after contracting measles was New York's first such fatality in 30 years; the death occurred about 93 miles (150 kilometers) north of Syracuse, state officials announced Monday.
- U.S. stopped the domestic spread of measles in 2000 by maintaining high vaccination rates, but rates have fallen in recent years to below the 95% coverage needed to prevent outbreaks of the viral disease.
- Kathy Hochul, the Democratic governor, called the death "a devastating reminder of what's at stake when Washington deliberately erodes decades of progress in protecting Americans from preventable illnesses."
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed three measles-associated deaths in the U.S. this year, while state health departments have reported higher numbers.
- Pennsylvania health officials have reported five measles deaths this year and are investigating a possible sixth.
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a disaster emergency in early October because of measles cases in neighboring states and rural areas of the state; the order extended the pool of people who can administer measles vaccines to include paramedics and midwives and allowed nurses to join doctors in ordering testing.
Why it matters: New York's vaccination coverage has fallen below the 95% level needed to prevent outbreaks, and the state's first measles death in 30 years shows what that gap costs. Hochul's emergency order widens vaccine administration to paramedics and midwives and lets nurses order testing, putting local responders deeper into the response.
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