State health officials report second child’s death from measles in Wisconsin

A second Wisconsin child has died as a result of measles amid outbreaks that have sickened hundreds of people in 20 counties, the state health department reported Friday.

The state Department of Health Services withheld demographic details about the child to protect the privacy of the child’s family. The death was reported in Grant County, located in the southwest corner of the state.

DHS reported Friday that measles has infected at least 649 people in Wisconsin, the highest number of cases in the state in more than 35 years.

Because not everyone infected with measles seeks medical care or gets tested for the viral illness, reported case counts may not reflect the full extent of the measles spread, according to DHS.

DHS officials reported a child’s death from measles Nov. 5.

The Wisconsin outbreaks coincide with the spread of measles nationwide. The New York Times reported this week that a consensus of medical experts concluded the illness can no longer be considered “eliminated” in the U.S.

Measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air and through close contact, according to the health department.

A measles infection typically begins with a fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes. Its most common symptom is a red rash over the body that shows up several days later. Measles can lead to permanent disability and death in some people.

“It can cause life-threatening complications including pneumonia and swelling of the brain,” DHS stated in its announcement of the second death Friday. “Although anyone can become seriously ill, children younger than 5 years old, pregnant people, and people with weakened immune systems are at increased risk of complications.”

The state health department is working with local and tribal health departments and other healthcare providers to respond to the measles outbreaks, identifying cases, tracking infections, testing people for the virus and supporting vaccination.

Measles vaccination is the most effective way to prevent the spread of the virus. Vaccination rates for measles in Wisconsin have fallen below the 95% of the population that ensures widespread protection from the illness, according to DHS.