County and state officials announced on Monday, November 2, that the child was from Lewis County in northern New York.
Reacting to the development, Governor Kathy Hochul expressed sympathy for the bereaved family, saying she could not imagine what they were going through.
“I am heartbroken to learn that a child in Lewis County has died after contracting measles,” she said in a statement. “As a mother and grandmother, I cannot imagine what this family is going through.”
Hochul also criticised the Trump administration's approach to public health, describing the incident as a devastating reminder of the consequences of weakening protections against preventable diseases.
Her comments came as the United States faced what the report described as its worst measles outbreak in 35 years.
According to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 4,834 cases had been reported across 47 states as of October 29.
In October, Hochul declared a disaster emergency in New York following measles outbreaks in the state and neighbouring areas.
Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000 following sustained vaccination campaigns. However, elimination does not mean the disease has disappeared globally, but that continuous transmission within the country had been interrupted.
The disease has resurged in recent years amid growing vaccine scepticism and mistrust of health authorities.
Measles can cause fever, respiratory symptoms and skin rashes, while severe complications include pneumonia and inflammation of the brain, which can be fatal.
The highly contagious disease continues to claim tens of thousands of lives worldwide every year.
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