New York child dies, first measles fatality in three decades

A child in Lewis County, a rural area about 93 miles north of Syracuse, died on Monday after contracting measles, marking New York's first measles fatality in three decades, state officials said. Governor Kathy Hochul announced the death and described it as a stark reminder of the consequences of declining vaccination rates. > "A devastating reminder of what's at stake when Washington deliberately erodes decades of progress in protecting Americans from preventable illnesses," Hochul said. Health officials noted that U.S. measles vaccination coverage has fallen below the 95% threshold needed to prevent outbreaks, after a period of high coverage that halted domestic spread in 2000. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed three measles-related deaths nationwide this year, while state health departments report higher numbers, with Pennsylvania reporting five deaths and investigating a possible sixth. In response, Hochul declared a disaster emergency in early October, expanding the pool of personnel authorized to administer measles vaccines to include paramedics, midwives and other qualified providers, and allowing nurses to order testing alongside doctors.