A measles-related death has been reported in the US state of New York. The victim was a child from Lewis County. This is the first measles-related death in the state in the past 30 years.<\/p>\n
According to health authorities, 15 measles cases have been reported in Lewis County this year. All infected individuals were unvaccinated. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the case highlights once again the importance of vaccination and the risks posed by declining immunization rates.<\/p>\n
At least 178 measles cases have been reported across New York State this year, most of them since August. The spread of the infection has been particularly noticeable in communities where childhood vaccination rates are low.<\/p>\n
Across the United States, 4,852 measles cases were recorded in 2026 \u2014 twice as many as last year. Measles is one of the most contagious viral infections and is particularly dangerous for unvaccinated people. It can cause serious complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).<\/p>\n
According to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children should receive their first dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine at 12\u201315 months of age and the second dose at 4\u20136 years of age.<\/p>\n