Follow-Up: Wisconsin Infant Dies of Measles, the State's First Such Death Since 1990, as Cases Reach 431
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announced on November 5 that an infant in the state has died of measles, with the coroner listing measles as the immediate cause of death. It is the first measles death reported in Wisconsin since 1990. DHS said it would not release additional information about the child in order to protect the privacy of the family and the child.
DHS Secretary Kirsten Johnson said in the release that the department was saddened to report the death of an infant connected with the measles outbreak and that her heart was broken for the family, noting that every death is heartbreaking, and more so when it is related to a vaccine-preventable disease.
As of November 5, DHS had confirmed 431 measles cases in Wisconsin in 2026, with nine hospitalizations and one death — the highest number of cases seen in the state in more than 35 years. DHS cautioned that reported case counts may not reflect the full extent of measles spread, because not everyone who gets sick seeks care or gets tested.
The outbreak is concentrated in southwestern Wisconsin: as of November 3, Grant, Iowa, Lafayette and Vernon Counties had reported 362 confirmed and six probable cases, with measles spreading locally. Other counties have reported scattered cases, including 44 confirmed cases in Chippewa County. State epidemiologist Ryan Westergaard said this is the largest number of measles cases Wisconsin has seen in more than 35 years, and that the 431 identified cases are almost certainly an underestimate.
Of the 431 cases reported, all but three were in people who were unvaccinated, DHS said. Since August 1, DHS has delivered 2,000 doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to local health departments in communities with confirmed cases. The department this week updated its guidance to recommend an early MMR dose for certain infants aged 6 to 11 months at increased risk of exposure. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97 percent effective at preventing measles, according to DHS.
This story follows this site's October 30 report that Wisconsin measles cases were nearing 400, at 392; cases have since risen to 431, with the state's first measles death since 1990.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Health Services
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：医护人员制备麻疹疫苗（资料图）。照片：Pete Lewis，英国国际发展部，CC BY 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: A health worker prepares a measles vaccine (file photo). Photo: Pete Lewis, UK Department for International Development, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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- 2026-11-05Follow-Up: Wisconsin Infant Dies of Measles, the State's First Such Death Since 1990, as Cases Reach 431This story
