A child in Lewis County, New York, has died in the state's first measles-associated death in more than three decades, state officials announced on Monday, as an ongoing outbreak spreads across parts of the state and neighboring areas.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said she was «heartbroken» to learn of the death. «As a mother and grandmother, I cannot imagine what this family is going through. My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved this child,» she said in a statement. Hochul linked the loss to federal policy, saying the death was «a devastating reminder of what's at stake when Washington deliberately erodes decades of progress in protecting Americans from preventable illnesses.» She added that New York would continue to rely on proven public health measures.
The New York State Department of Health said it was «deeply saddened» by the death and extended condolences to the child's family, asking that their privacy be respected. The department described measles as a highly contagious disease that can cause serious complications and death, and said vaccination remains the best protection against it. It said it has offered resources to Lewis County to support community outreach and local vaccination efforts, both in response to this case and as part of wider work with counties facing the outbreak.
The death comes about four weeks after Hochul declared a State Disaster Emergency in response to the outbreak across areas of New York and neighboring states. The declaration expanded the pool of people eligible to administer measles vaccines and provided quicker access to additional resources if needed. Last month, the governor said she planned to seek federal assistance to combat the outbreak.
State health officials said they are working with county health departments and local partners to offer the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to any unvaccinated person who requests it, and are closely monitoring and investigating all reported cases. As of Oct. 24, New York had recorded 178 measles cases this year, 170 of them outside New York City and eight within the city. Officials urged residents to confirm they are up to date on their MMR vaccinations and to pay attention to health advisories when traveling with unvaccinated people, especially young children.
The Trump administration has made changes to federal vaccine policy, including revising the childhood immunization schedule and reviewing how vaccines are recommended. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to recommend two doses of the MMR vaccine for children, saying two doses provide the best protection against measles. Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for a response to Hochul's comments; at the time of publication, no response from the department was reported in the source material.