HealthWednesday, November 4
A child's death in Lewis County is New York's first measles death in more than 30 years
The Daily Albany team
A child in Lewis County has died from measles. The state Department of Health and Lewis County Public Health called it the first known measles-associated death in New York State in more than 30 years. Gov. Kathy Hochul called the death "a devastating reminder of what's at stake when Washington deliberately erodes decades of progress in protecting Americans from preventable illnesses."
- Babies 6 months+: early MMR dose for travel or exposure risk
- Symptoms: fever, cough, runny nose, red watery eyes
- Rash: often three to five days after symptoms start
- Sick? Call ahead before going to a clinic or ER
As of Oct. 24, there have been 178 measles cases this year. If you're not sure where you stand on MMR, we suggest asking your health care provider or local health department. The state says it is working with county health departments to offer the vaccine to anyone unvaccinated who requests it.