A child in New York’s Lewis County has died after contracting measles, the first such death in the state in more than 30 years, local health officials reported Monday.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of a child in Lewis County associated with the ongoing measles outbreak,” New York and Lewis County health officials said in a joint statement. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the child’s family and loved ones and ask that their privacy be respected during this difficult time.”
The statement did not provide additional details of the case, including the child’s age or vaccination status. The health department does not plan to release any additional details, according to state health department spokeswoman Marissa Crary, citing an effort to protect the privacy of the family.
Last month, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) declared a state disaster emergency in response to the growing number of measles cases across rural areas as well as in neighboring states. As of Oct. 24, there have been 178 total cases in the state this year, including eight in New York City, according to the state health department.
The reporting of the measles-associated death in a rural county in the northern part of New York comes as the United States has reported the most measles cases in any year since 1991, surpassing last year’s total and reaching the highest level in 35 years with months of 2026 left to go.
In late August, Pennsylvania state health officials reported the first measles-associated deaths in the United States this year. Since then, they have recorded five such deaths. Pennsylvania has reported 1,433 confirmed cases, according to the latest figures reported Monday.
The deaths in Pennsylvania sparked a bitter political feud between Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Shapiro accused Kennedy, the founder of a prominent anti-vaccine group, of sowing confusion about immunizations and contributing to the spread of a highly contagious disease the United States eliminated more than 25 years ago. Kennedy argued that the governor, who is widely expected to run for president, was capitalizing on the moment for political gain.
The New York death adds to an unresolved discrepancy over the national death toll. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently lists three measles deaths in 2026, while Pennsylvania has confirmed five. The agency says it is working with state epidemiologists to develop a standardized definition for reporting deaths caused by measles.
After Pennsylvania announced its first deaths, the CDC excluded those deaths from its weekly measles dashboard, a decision that came from the new director, Erica Schwartz, The Washington Post previously reported. The highly unusual decision departed from the agency’s typical practices of including such data after state health departments make a determination.
The outbreaks come as falling vaccination rates have left growing pockets of children and adults susceptible to a disease that was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are about 97 percent effective at preventing measles.
The virus is among the world’s most contagious pathogens and can linger in the air for as long as two hours after an infected person has left a room.
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