What happened in Lewis County during New York’s measles outbreak?

The New York State Department of Health said a child in Lewis County died in connection with the ongoing outbreak. The department offered the county resources for community outreach and local vaccination efforts in response to the case.

How many measles cases had New York reported, and where were they located?

As of October 24, the state had reported 178 cases this year. Of those, 170 were outside New York City and eight were in the city; officials were working with county health departments and local partners to offer MMR vaccinations to unvaccinated people who requested them and investigate reported cases.

How is the CDC tracking measles deaths, and why do its figures differ from state reports?

The CDC switched from relying on state health department figures to using mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics. The article says the CDC recorded three measles-related deaths this year without naming the states, while Pennsylvania reported five measles-associated deaths.

New York state reports first measles-linked child death in over 30 years amid outbreak

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Summary

A child in Lewis County died in connection with a measles outbreak, the New York State Department of Health said on Monday, marking the state’s first known measles-associated death in more than 30 years. Last month, Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a State Disaster Emergency in response to the outbreak across parts of New York and neighboring states. State officials said they were supporting local outreach and vaccination efforts and investigating reported cases.

Key Facts

New York reported 178 measles cases as of October 24, including 170 outside New York City and eight in the city.
Hochul told Reuters in October that New York would seek federal assistance to contain the outbreak, but did not confirm whether the state had formally requested a CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service response.
The CDC recorded three measles-related deaths in the United States this year but did not identify the states where they occurred.
Pennsylvania reported 1,433 confirmed measles cases and five measles-associated deaths this year.
The CDC switched to National Center for Health Statistics mortality data to track measles deaths, replacing its earlier reliance on state health department figures.

By Reuters

Published Nov 3, 2026 10:34 am KST

A measles alert sign hangs outside the entrance to the Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York, U.S., March 14, 2025. Reuters-Yonhap

The New York State Department of Health said on Monday that a child in Lewis County had died in connection with an ongoing measles outbreak, marking the state's first known measles-associated death in more than 30 years.

Last month, Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a State Disaster Emergency in response to the measles outbreak across areas of New York and neighboring states.

"The Department has offered resources to Lewis County to assist with community outreach and support local vaccination efforts — both in response to this case, and as part of our ongoing efforts to support counties that are facing this ongoing measles outbreak," the state department said.

The death comes as the U.S. experiences its worst measles resurgence in decades.

Hochul told Reuters in October that the state would seek federal assistance to help contain the outbreak, but did not confirm whether it had submitted a formal request for a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Epidemic Intelligence Service, or Epi-Aid, response.

As of October 24, New York had reported 178 measles cases this year, including 170 cases outside New York City and 8 cases in New York City.

State health officials said they were working with county health departments and local partners to provide measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations to unvaccinated individuals who request them and to investigate reported cases.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside business hours.

The CDC has recorded three measles-related deaths this year, but did not name the states where they occurred.

Pennsylvania has been the epicenter of the outbreak this year, reporting 1,433 confirmed cases and five measles-associated deaths so far this year.

The gap in numbers follows a policy shift under U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with the CDC switching to the National Center for Health Statistics' mortality data to track measles deaths, replacing its earlier reliance on state health departments' figures.

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