Wisconsin reports measles death of a baby, first death in over 35 years

An infant in Wisconsin has succumbed to measles, marking the first such death in the state since 1990, according to officials who announced this on Thursday. This grim milestone emerges during an ongoing measles outbreak that has inflicted over 430 cases across 13 counties in the Badger State this year. Wisconsin Health Secretary Kirsten Johnson lamented the loss, emphasizing that any child's death is a tragedy, especially when it stems from a vaccine-preventable disease.

She urged all Wisconsinites to assess their risk and take measures to safeguard themselves and their families against the measles virus. The baby's demise marks the third measles fatality nationwide within the same week, joining the deaths of a New York child reported on Monday and another in Pennsylvania reported on Wednesday. The Pennsylvania fatality was of an unvaccinated individual in Jefferson County; the state health department did not divulge further details, including the victim's age. Wisconsin's rampant, ongoing measles outbreak has resulted in 1,467 cases so far in 2024.