Infant Death Tied To Measles Outbreak In Southwest Wisconsin
State reports first measles-associated death in more than 30 years amid 431 cases statewide.
A skin rash is observed on a patient’s abdomen 3-days after the onset of a measles infection. The image was captured at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center in 1958. Photo by Heinz F. Eichenwald, MD /CDC Public Health Image Library.
Wisconsin health officials reported the death of an infant related to the ongoing measles outbreak in southwestern Wisconsin.
It’s the first measles-associated death in the state in more than 30 years, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
DHS reported that the coroner listed measles as the immediate cause of death. State officials said no further information about the death is being released to protect the privacy of the child and their family.
DHS Secretary Kirsten Johnson said in a statement that her “heart is broken for the family.”
“Any death of a child is a tragedy and even more so when it is related to a vaccine-preventable disease,” Johnson said in the statement. “Measles can cause serious illness and death, and it is important for all Wisconsinites to evaluate their risk and take steps to protect themselves and their family.”
Doctors recommend children get their first dose of the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, between 12 and 15 months. Kids younger than 5 years old are among those most at risk of serious complications from measles, along with people who are pregnant and those with weakened immune systems. The highly contagious virus can cause pneumonia and swelling of the brain.
There have been 431 measles cases across 13 Wisconsin counties as of Tuesday. It’s the highest number of cases in the state in more than 35 years, according to DHS. Officials say it also may not reflect the full extent of the virus’s spread since some people do not seek testing or medical care when they’re sick.
The vast majority of cases have been linked to spread of the virus among residents of Grant, Iowa, Lafayette and Vernon counties.
The remaining measles cases have been linked to people being infected with measles during travel out of state.
So far, nine Wisconsinites have required hospitalization for severe symptoms from measles. Over 99 percent of cases have been in people who are unvaccinated.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been four other measles-related deaths reported in the U.S. this year.
The MMR vaccine is 97 percent effective at preventing measles when the person has completed the medically recommended two-dose course.
State health officials are urging residents to check their and their families’ vaccination status through the state’s online registry or with their medical provider.
DHS reported some progress on improving the state’s vaccination rates. Since Aug. 1, the state has delivered 2,000 doses of the MMR vaccine to local health departments in measles-affected communities. Across the state, over 42,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered since Aug. 1.
Infant’s death linked to measles outbreak in southwest Wisconsin was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
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