A child has died of measles in New York State, the first fatal case recorded in this region of the U.S. in 30 years, authorities announced yesterday, Monday.
“My heart broke when I learned that a child in Lewis County died after contracting measles,” said New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Lewis County, located near the Canadian border, is several hours’ drive from New York City.
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The death of a child is “a stark reminder of what is at stake when Washington undermines decades of progress in protecting Americans from preventable diseases,” Hokal added.
In 2000, U.S. authorities had declared measles eliminated in the country thanks to vaccination. However, in recent years, the disease has reemerged in the country, a trend fueled by declining vaccination rates and growing distrust of health authorities, a phenomenon in which, it is alleged, U.S. President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. play a significant role.
Since the beginning of the year, 4,834 cases of measles—a serious and highly contagious disease—have been confirmed in the U.S.
In October, a state of emergency was declared in New York State due to the rise in measles cases.
Measles causes fever, respiratory problems, and skin rashes, while in some cases more serious complications arise, such as pneumonia and encephalitis, which can have severe long-term consequences or even lead to death.
Before the vaccine was discovered in the early 1960s, measles killed hundreds of children every year in the U.S. It continues to cause tens of thousands of deaths worldwide.
Source: Proto Thema
