An infant in Wisconsin has died of measles, the state health department said Thursday — the third measles-related death reported in the U.S. this week.
asserted
department → die → U.S.
It’s Wisconsin’s first measles-related death since 1990, the health department said, adding that a coroner had listed measles as the infant’s immediate cause of death.
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coroner → ’ → death
The news came just one day after Pennsylvania’s health department reported a measles-associated death there — the state’s sixth this year.
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department → come → death
The department said Wednesday that an unvaccinated resident in Jefferson County who tested positive for measles had died.
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who → say → measles
Two days before that, New York health officials announced that a child in Lewis County had died of measles.
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child → announce → measles
Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a statewide disaster emergency over measles in early October.
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Hochul → declare → October
In total, the U.S. has recorded eight measles-associated deaths this year, according to state health department data.
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U.S. → record → data
It’s the highest measles death toll in the country since 1991.
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It → ’ → 1991
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed four of those deaths.
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Centers → confirm → deaths
The agency says it will update its count “as additional information becomes available and relevant reviews are completed.”
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reviews → say → count
None of the eight people who have died were vaccinated, according to state health departments; some were ineligible because of their age or health status.
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some → die → age
Typically, the first dose of the vaccine is administered around a child’s first birthday.
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dose → administer → birthday
Before the outbreaks in Wisconsin, New York and Pennsylvania, none of the states had recorded a measles death in more than 30 years.
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none → record → years
Pennsylvania’s outbreak, which began in April, is by far the largest in the country, with a case total approaching 1,500 across 45 counties, according to the state health department.
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total → begin → department
A Franklin County coroner reported an additional death last month possibly linked to measles, but the state health department said Wednesday that it has not yet confirmed any deaths as measles-associated in the county.
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it → report → county
Nationally, the CDC has confirmed 4,852 measles cases this year — more than double last year’s count and the highest number since 1991.
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CDC → confirm → 1991
The dramatic rise is linked, in part, to a decline in vaccination rates across the country.
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rise → link → country
Measles has been considered eliminated in the U.S. since 2000, a designation that indicates the virus is no longer constantly circulating, though there can be occasional outbreaks.
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virus → consider → 2000
The Pan American Health Organization, a group within the World Health Organization, will meet next week to determine whether the U.S. should lose that elimination status.
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U.S. → meet → status
A measles infection is particularly dangerous for babies and young children, whose immune systems aren’t always developed enough to fight an infection.
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systems → develop → infection
Roughly 1 to 3 out of every 1,000 children with measles die from respiratory and neurological complications, according to the CDC.
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3 → die → CDC
Measles often starts with a high fever, cough, runny nose and pink or watery eyes.
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Measles → start → fever
From there, people may develop white spots on the insides of the cheeks near the molars and a blotchy rash of flat, red spots.
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people → develop → spots
Severe cases can progress to pneumonia or swelling of the brain.
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cases → progress → brain
The Aporia
