Wisconsin health officials have confirmed the death of an infant linked to the state’s ongoing measles outbreak, marking the first measles-related death in Wisconsin in more than three decades.
Department of Health Services Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ryan Westergaard called the death a tragic reminder of the dangers posed by a disease that was once largely eliminated through vaccination.
“The death we’re reporting today is a tragic reminder of what can happen when measles begin circulating again. We do have the tools to stop measles transmission. The challenge now is making sure those tools reach the people in the communities who need them,” Westergaard said.
The infant was too young to be vaccinated. Westergaard said maintaining high vaccination rates is the best protection for infants and others who cannot receive the vaccine.
“For families with babies younger than six months or others who cannot be vaccinated, the most important protection is making sure that the people around them are immune. And that’s one of the reasons that maintaining high vaccination coverage is so important,” he said.
The death comes as Wisconsin experiences its largest measles outbreak in decades. State health officials report 431 confirmed cases and nine hospitalizations this year, with most cases concentrated in southwestern Wisconsin.
Westergaard warned that measles can spread rapidly once it gains a foothold in a community.
“In the era before vaccines, the percentage of people who would get infected with measles was approximately 100%. It’s so effectively transmitted. So a disease that can spread that quickly can’t go from a small problem to a big problem very quickly,” Westergaard said.
Health officials continue to encourage vaccination and other prevention efforts as they work to contain the outbreak.