Wisconsin reports first measles-related death in decades

NEW YORK

Measles, mumps and rubella virus vaccine at Union Community Care clinic in Lancaster, Pa., on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo)

An infant died after contracting measles in Wisconsin, marking the state's first death linked to the disease in more than 35 years, authorities have said.

"It is with a heavy heart we are reporting the first death of an infant connected with a measles outbreak in Wisconsin in many years," Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary Kirsten Johnson said in a statement on Nov. 5.

"Any death of a child is a tragedy and even more so when it is related to a vaccine-preventable disease," she added, urging people to "take steps to protect themselves and their family."

Wisconsin's DHS said it was the first death in the state linked to the disease since 1990.

The United States is facing its worst measles outbreak in decades.

As of Oct. 29, there were 4,834 cases reported in 47 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Wisconsin, DHS has reported 431 measles cases in 13 counties so far in 2026.

New York authorities reported the state's first death linked to the disease in 30 years on Nov. 2.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a statewide disaster emergency last month, following measles outbreaks in the state and neighboring states.

Measles was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000 after years of effective vaccination campaigns.

But the illness has made a worrying comeback in recent years as vaccine skepticism rises alongside a growing mistrust of health authorities.