A child in rural northern New York has died from measles, state officials announced on Monday, 3 November 2026. This marks the first measles-related death in the state in 30 years.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated that the child died in Lewis county, approximately 93 miles (150km) north of Syracuse. Governor Hochul expressed heartbreak over the death and linked it to federal policy, saying it is "a devastating reminder of what’s at stake when Washington deliberately erodes decades of progress in protecting Americans from preventable illnesses."
Measles is a highly contagious virus that can lead to serious health complications, with deaths occurring in approximately one to three patients per 1,000 cases. The US had stopped the domestic spread of measles by 2000 due to high vaccination rates, but these rates have since fallen below the 95% coverage needed to prevent outbreaks.
The CDC confirmed three measles-associated deaths in the US this year, while Pennsylvania health officials reported six deaths. Governor Hochul declared a disaster emergency in early October due to measles cases in neighbouring states and rural areas of New York. This order expanded the pool of people who can administer measles vaccines and allowed nurses to join doctors in ordering testing.
As of late October 2026, the CDC reported 4,588 measles cases across the country, more than double the total for 2025. Pennsylvania alone reported 1,338 cases on the same day, with large outbreaks also noted in South Carolina and Utah, both reporting over 500 cases.
Robert F Kennedy Jr, the secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has faced criticism for his comments on some vaccines and has made changes to vaccination policy, including cutting childhood immunisation recommendations by a third. An HHS spokesperson stated that the CDC deployed experts to New York to assist with the outbreak response and that Secretary Kennedy and CDC Director Dr Erica Schwartz continue to affirm the MMR vaccine as the most effective way to prevent measles.