Second child dies from measles in Grant County

A second child has died from measles in Wisconsin, according to the state's health department. CIDRAP reported that the child lived in Grant County, located in the southwestern corner of the state, where more than a third of Wisconsin's 651 cases have been reported. This follows the death of a baby who also died in Wisconsin the previous week. To protect the child and the family's privacy, the state health department stated it was not releasing any other information.

Wisconsin reported 174 new infections, marking the most measles cases of any US state over the past week. With statewide cases reaching 649 to 651 across reports, Wisconsin ranks among the top three states hardest hit by measles, according to DHS data. Nationally, US cases have topped 5,400, reaching 5,412 for the year with an increase of 230 cases over the week. This marks the 14th straight week that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a triple-digit increase in measles infections.

In Pennsylvania, another major hot spot, an unvaccinated resident in Montour County tested positive for measles and has died, according to a press release from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Pennsylvania's 2026 case count has reached 1,542, following 61 new infections confirmed over the past week. State Epidemiologist Lisa McHugh said that Pennsylvania's outbreak seems to be slowing, supported by vaccination campaigns that administered 56,000 doses in September and 61,000 in October, compared to a normal monthly average of about 25,000 doses. Despite this, Pennsylvania may see an increase in cases in late winter and early spring.

Across the United States, state health departments have reported 10 measles-associated deaths in 2026, while the CDC has added two deaths for a total of six, consistently lagging behind individual state reports. Noel T. Brewer, chair of the committee reporting to the Pan American Health Organization on behalf of the United States, noted that genomic sequencing data out of Utah shows public health records are missing many measles infections. A PAHO commission is meeting to determine whether the United States and Mexico will follow Canada and lose measles elimination status, with a decision expected November 17. Brewer stated during an AHCJ webinar, "The United States is no longer a safe place for children in regards to measles."

CDC data indicates that 96% of reported measles cases are among people who have not been vaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. The hospitalization rate for all cases remains steady at 11%. Kindergarten MMR vaccination rates for the 2025-26 academic year were reported at 85.1% in Wisconsin, 92.7% in Pennsylvania, 88.1% in Ohio, and 85.7% in Minnesota, while West Virginia recorded 98.9% due to not allowing religious or philosophical belief exemptions.