Wisconsin reports infant measles death, first in the state since 1990

As of 10:43 p.m. ET, Monday, Nov. 9, 2026

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported Thursday that an infant has died in a death associated with the ongoing measles outbreak in southwestern Wisconsin — the first such death reported in the state since 1990, the department said.

The coroner listed measles as the immediate cause of death, DHS said in a Nov. 5 news release. To protect the privacy of the family and the child, the department said it would not release any additional information related to the death. Officials have not released the infant's age or vaccination status.

"It is with a heavy heart we are reporting the first death of an infant connected with a measles outbreak in Wisconsin in many years. My heart is broken for the family," DHS Secretary Kirsten Johnson said in the release. "Any death of a child is a tragedy and even more so when it is related to a vaccine-preventable disease. Measles can cause serious illness and death, and it is important for all Wisconsinites to evaluate their risk and take steps to protect themselves and their family."

Outbreak numbers

As of Nov. 3, DHS had reported 431 measles cases in 13 counties so far in 2026 — the highest number of cases in the state in more than 35 years, the department said. Nine people have required hospitalization for severe symptoms. In an update dated Nov. 6, DHS listed 477 confirmed cases, nine hospitalizations and one death in 2026. DHS cautioned that reported case counts may not reflect the full extent of spread because not everyone who becomes ill seeks care or is tested.

Measles can cause life-threatening complications including pneumonia and swelling of the brain, DHS said. Children younger than 5, pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems are at increased risk of complications. The department said the best way to prevent measles is the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, with two doses about 97% effective.

Since Aug. 1, DHS said it has delivered 2,000 doses of MMR vaccine to local health departments in communities with confirmed cases, and health care providers in Wisconsin have administered more than 42,000 MMR doses during that period.