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Second Child Dies from Measles in Wisconsin as Outbreak Hits 649 Cases
A second child has died from measles in Wisconsin, state health officials confirmed Friday, as the outbreak reaches 649 cases across 20 countiesâthe state's worst in over 35 years. Officials are urging vaccination and community action to stop the spread.
A second child has died from measles in Wisconsin, state health officials confirmed Friday, as the state grapples with its largest measles outbreak in more than three decades.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the Grant County Health Department said the death was confirmed in a pediatric patient. The agency withheld identifying information to protect the family's privacy.
The death follows the Nov. 5 death of an infant connected to the outbreak in southwestern Wisconsin.
As of Friday, DHS has reported 649 measles cases across 20 counties since Augustâthe highest case count the state has seen in over 35 years.
Measles can cause life-threatening complications including pneumonia and brain swelling. Children under 5, pregnant people and immunocompromised individuals face the greatest risk, though anyone can become seriously ill.
State Health Officer and Division of Public Health Administrator Paula Tran stressed that protecting against the disease is a shared responsibility.
"From making sure our families are protected by getting the recommended vaccinations to staying home when we may have been exposed, we encourage everyone to work together to protect those who are most vulnerable to serious illness," Tran said. "Stay informed, look out for one another, and take the actions you can to help stop the spread of measles and keep our communities healthy and safe."
Health officials are urging residents to get the MMR vaccine, which is 97% effective at preventing measles with two doses.
Since Aug. 1, DHS has delivered nearly 2,000 doses of MMR vaccine to local health departments in communities with confirmed cases. More than 45,000 MMR doses have been administered statewide during that period.
The outbreak's tollânow two young lives lostâunderscores the importance of vaccination and swift public health response in containing a highly contagious disease that had been largely eliminated in the United States decades ago.