New York health officials reported the state's first measles-associated death in more than 30 years on Monday, involving a child from Lewis County in the northern part of the state. The child's death was confirmed amid an ongoing measles outbreak that has seen 178 cases recorded in New York so far this year, the vast majority — 170 — outside New York City, and 15 in Lewis County.
Governor Kathy Hochul declared the outbreak an emergency in October, stating: "Measles is highly contagious, and vaccination remains our best protection against this dangerous disease." The declaration came as the state confronts a rising case count that mirrors a broader national trend. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4,852 measles cases have been reported across the United States in 2024, the most since 1991, with five deaths.
In neighboring Pennsylvania, health officials are battling the country's worst outbreak in 30 years, with 1,433 cases and six deaths reported as of Monday. Health experts have largely attributed the rise in measles cases to falling vaccination rates, though rising cases have driven a surge of immunizations in some areas.
Health officials emphasize that two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine offer 97% protection against measles, usually for life. During outbreaks, babies as young as 6 months old are eligible for a dose ahead of the two recommended childhood shots, typically given at around 1 year of age and another at around age 5. Officials urge people to ensure they are current on MMR vaccinations to protect against the highly contagious disease.
The Pan American Health Organization, an arm of the World Health Organization, is set to hold a measles elimination commission meeting next week, when the United States is widely expected to lose the elimination status it has held since 2000. The child who died in Lewis County was among the many cases in the state involving individuals who had not received the MMR vaccine.
