Child dies of measles in New York, the state's first fatal case in 30 years, as Governor Hochul blames Washington
Governor Kathy Hochul, whose October emergency order expanded access to the MMR vaccine, described the child's death as a reminder of what is at stake "when Washington deliberately erodes decades of progress.Pennsylvania has reported five measles deaths this year, with a potential sixth under investigation, as the US vaccination rate has fallen below the 95% threshold needed to prevent outbreaks.
A child in Lewis County has died from measles — New York's first measles fatality in over three decades and one of at least three confirmed measles-linked deaths in the US this year. Governor Kathy Hochul, who declared a state disaster emergency in early October, said she was 'heartbroken' and blamed federal policies for eroding vaccination gains. All 15 confirmed measles cases in Lewis County involved unvaccinated individuals. By late October, New York's statewide case count had reached 178.
Hochul's emergency declaration, issued four weeks ago, expanded the range of authorised MMR vaccine administrators to include paramedics and midwives.
Vaccination rates across the US have dropped below the 95% level required to prevent outbreaks, and the Trump administration has made changes to the childhood immunisation schedule.
