Wisconsin Reports Baby's Measles Death, First Since 1990

An infant in Wisconsin has died of measles, the state's first measles death since 1990, health officials reported Thursday, according to Ars Technica. The death comes amid a Wisconsin outbreak that has sickened more than 430 people across 13 counties this year.

"Any death of a child is a tragedy, and even more so when it is related to a vaccine-preventable disease," Wisconsin Health Secretary Kirsten Johnson said in a statement cited by Ars Technica. "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."

How many measles deaths have been reported this year?

The Wisconsin infant's death is the third measles fatality reported nationally in a single week, following the death of a child in New York reported Monday and a death in Pennsylvania reported Wednesday, Ars Technica reported. The Pennsylvania death involved an unvaccinated person in Jefferson County; the state health department did not release the person's age or other details.

In total, nine measles deaths have been reported in the U.S. this year, eight of which state officials have confirmed, according to Ars Technica's tally. That count includes the Wisconsin infant, the New York child, and seven deaths in Pennsylvania — six of them confirmed — among them two babies, a teen described as healthy, and several adults with underlying health conditions.

What do the national case numbers show?

As of November 5, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was reporting 5,182 measles cases this year across 47 states and jurisdictions, Ars Technica reported, citing the agency's data. The CDC's own death count stood at four, though it was unclear which of the reported fatalities the agency had included in that figure, according to the outlet.

By the numbers:

• 5,182 — CDC-reported measles cases nationwide as of November 5
• 1,467 — Measles cases reported in Pennsylvania's outbreak this year
• 430+ — Cases in Wisconsin's outbreak across 13 counties
• 9 — Measles deaths reported in the U.S. this year, the most since 1991

The national case and death totals are the highest since 1991, Ars Technica reported, though officials caution the reported cases likely undercount the real total. Wisconsin health officials noted in their announcement that "not everyone who becomes ill seeks medical care or gets tested, which means cases may go unreported" — a dynamic the outlet said is especially relevant because large outbreaks, including Pennsylvania's, have concentrated in tight-knit religious communities less likely to seek conventional medical care.

Could the U.S. lose its measles elimination status?

The U.S. declared measles eliminated in 2000 after a year passed without continuous domestic transmission, a milestone Ars Technica described as a public health triumph built on high vaccination rates against one of the most contagious viruses on Earth. Experts are expected to determine next week whether the country has lost that elimination status, according to the outlet's reporting.

Before vaccination became widespread, measles sickened 3 million to 4 million people annually in the U.S., sent nearly 50,000 people to the hospital each year, caused 1,000 cases of brain swelling, and killed 400 to 500 people a year, Ars Technica reported. The current surge has unfolded amid slipping vaccination rates nationwide and the spread of anti-vaccine misinformation and rhetoric, according to the outlet.

Where are the largest outbreaks right now?

Pennsylvania's outbreak remains the largest cited in the reporting, with 1,467 cases so far this year and seven associated deaths, six of them confirmed. Wisconsin's outbreak, by comparison, has produced more than 430 cases across 13 counties and the state's first fatality since 1990. New York reported a child's death from measles on Monday, part of the broader pattern of fatalities concentrated in recent weeks.

What are health officials telling residents to do?

Wisconsin's health secretary urged residents to "evaluate their risk and take steps to protect themselves and their family," according to the statement reported by Ars Technica. The outlet did not detail specific vaccination-rate figures for Wisconsin's outbreak, and no additional demographic details on the infant's case were included in the state's announcement as reported.

The CDC's measles elimination determination, expected next week according to Ars Technica, will hinge on whether the current chain of transmission can be traced to a single uninterrupted year of domestic spread — the same threshold the agency used when it declared elimination in 2000.

Artiglio is A coming-soon iPhone chief of staff for briefings and drafts. Not on the App Store yet.