A child in West Texas has died from measles, marking the first U.S. death from the disease in a decade, state health officials said Wednesday. The child, who was unvaccinated, died at Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock during the fourth week of the outbreak.
The Texas measles outbreak has surged to at least 124 cases, mostly among unvaccinated children, with an additional nine cases reported in eastern New Mexico. The outbreak began in a rural, under-vaccinated Mennonite community in Gaines County, Texas health officials said.
Measles is highly contagious, spreading through respiratory droplets. Symptoms include high fever, red watery eyes, cough, nasal congestion, and a facial rash. Some children have required oxygen support, fever medication, and IV fluids, according to the hospital’s chief medical officer, Lara Johnson.
Health officials warn the outbreak is likely to grow. The U.S. death rate for measles is about 1 to 3 per 1,000 cases, per the CDC. The last U.S. measles death was in 2015.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., recently confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services, mistakenly reported two deaths during a cabinet meeting, later corrected by his department to one fatality.
The outbreak has prompted Lubbock to promote the MMR vaccine for unvaccinated children, with free clinics starting Tuesday.
Texas health officials say more people may have been exposed after an infected person traveled to multiple locations around San Antonio, nearly 400 miles away.
In 2024, the U.S. recorded 285 measles cases across 16 outbreaks, a sharp rise from 59 cases in 2023.
Health experts link the growing outbreaks to vaccine hesitancy, with Texas at the center of the anti-vaccine movement.
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