Child dies of measles in New York's Lewis County, the US state's first such death in over 30 years

A child in Lewis County, New York, has died after contracting measles, state health officials confirmed, marking the first measles fatality in New York in more than three decades. The death comes amid an ongoing outbreak in the region, with Governor Kathy Hochul's administration now facing pressure over the resurgence of the once-near-eradicated disease.

Lewis County, a rural area in upstate New York, is at the centre of the outbreak linked to the death.

New York's last measles-linked child fatality occurred over 30 years ago, before widespread vaccination campaigns dramatically reduced cases across the US.

Health officials are urging families to check vaccination records as the outbreak raises fresh alarm about declining immunisation rates nationwide.