Second child dies from measles in Wisconsin as state health officer urges vaccination

A second child has died from measles in Wisconsin this year, the state Department of Health Services announced, as the outbreak there has grown to its largest in more than 35 years.

The death follows that of an infant who died in southwest Wisconsin earlier this month from the disease. That was the first measles-related death in Wisconsin since 1990.

As of Friday, the department had reported close to 650 measles cases in 20 counties, officials said. It's the highest number of cases Wisconsin has seen in more than 35 years.

Paula Tran, Wisconsin's state health officer and Division of Public Health administrator, urged families to get the recommended vaccinations and to stay home if they may have been exposed. She encouraged everyone to "work together to protect those who are most vulnerable to serious illness."

Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but experts say it has made a comeback as vaccination rates have declined.

Minnesota is also seeing a surge. As of Friday, the state had 160 cases, most of which have been identified since mid-September. It's the highest number the state has seen in decades.

In both Minnesota and Wisconsin, the vaccination rate among kindergartners was around 93% during the 2019-20 school year. By 2025-26, it had dropped to about 85% in both states, well below the level needed for herd immunity.