New York reports first measles death in more than 30 years
A child in Lewis County in northern New York has died of measles, state health officials said Monday, NBC News reports. It is the state's first measles death in more than 30 years. New York has recorded 178 cases so far this year, according to the state Health Department.
A child in Lewis County, a rural area of northern New York, has died after getting measles, state health officials announced Monday, NBC News reports. It is the state's first measles-associated death in more than 30 years, NBC News says.
"We are deeply saddened by the death of a child in Lewis County associated with the ongoing measles outbreak," state health officials said in a statement quoted by NBC News. They asked that the family's privacy be respected.
The child was not publicly identified, and the child's age and sex were not released, the New York Post reports. The Post reports that the child was unvaccinated, citing the state Health Department and Lewis County Public Health.
New York has recorded 178 measles cases so far this year, according to the state Health Department, NBC News reports. Of those, 170 were outside New York City, and 15 were in Lewis County. All 15 cases in the county are among unvaccinated people, according to public health records cited by the Post.
Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a State Disaster Emergency over the outbreak last month, the Post reports. Under the emergency, nurses can order measles testing, state officials said, according to the Post.
"Measles is highly contagious, and vaccination remains our best protection against this dangerous disease," Hochul said in a statement quoted by NBC News and the Post. In the same statement, she blamed "Washington" for eroding progress against preventable illnesses, the Post reports.
The last New Yorker to die of measles caught the virus during a New York City outbreak from 1990 to 1991, the Post reports. That outbreak killed at least 21 people, the Post says.
In neighboring Pennsylvania, there have been 1,433 cases and six deaths, according to the Pennsylvania Health Department, NBC News reports. Nationally, there have been 4,852 measles cases as of Friday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NBC News reports.
Health officials urged people to make sure they are up to date on measles, mumps and rubella shots. Two doses offer 97% protection against measles, usually for life, NBC News reports.
Where outlets agree NBC News and the New York Post agree that New York state health officials announced on Monday the state's first measles death in more than 30 years, a child in Lewis County.
Where they differ The New York Post reports that the child was unvaccinated, while NBC News says the officials' statement gave no further details about the child.