A child in West Texas has succumbed to measles, marking the first reported death from the highly contagious disease in the United States in a decade. The outbreak has surged from a few cases to over 130 across two states. The child, who was not vaccinated against measles, passed away in a children’s hospital, as confirmed by state health officials. A press conference with town officials is scheduled to provide further details.
The outbreak in West Texas, which began in early February, has primarily affected children, with at least 124 confirmed cases. The spread has extended to neighboring counties in eastern New Mexico, prompting warnings of potential additional cases due to the virus’s high contagion rate. Measles, transmitted through respiratory droplets, can result in 1 to 3 deaths per 1,000 reported cases.
Efforts to contain the outbreak are underway, with 18 individuals currently hospitalized with the disease. Despite resistance, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been appointed as Secretary of Health and Human Services, is committed to upholding existing vaccination programs. The outbreak has struck a rural community where vaccination rates are low, highlighting the importance of immunization in preventing such tragedies.
Dr. Peter Hotez from Baylor University warns of the severity of measles and attributes the outbreak to a robust anti-vaccine movement in Texas. The current situation underscores the critical need for vaccination to safeguard public health and prevent the resurgence of preventable diseases like measles.
Refusing to vaccinate their children, as reported by Reuters, there were 285 cases of the disease in the United States in 2024 stemming from 16 outbreaks. This marked a significant increase from the 59 cases reported from four outbreaks in 2023. Health officials in Texas issued a warning on Monday, indicating that more individuals were likely exposed to the virus due to a Gaines County resident who was contagious and had traveled to various locations in and around San Antonio, a distance of nearly 400 miles (644 km). In response to the situation, the City of Lubbock took proactive measures by promoting the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine for unvaccinated children through its website and free clinics, which commenced on Tuesday. (Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; additional reporting by Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago and Chad Terhune; editing by Caroline Humer and Bill Berkrot)
