An unvaccinated school-aged child died from measles. This marks the first measles-related death in the United States in a decade. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) confirmed this on Wednesday. They reported the child had been hospitalized and tested positive for the virus.
The outbreak has caused 124 confirmed measles cases. Most cases involve unvaccinated individuals. Children and teenagers aged 5 to 17 account for the largest group, with 62 cases. Additionally, 39 cases involve children aged 4 and under.
Gaines County reported 80 confirmed cases as the outbreak’s origin. The disease spread to other counties and may have crossed into New Mexico, where Lea County documented nine cases, including four among children.
“This death illustrates the significant risk that measles poses, a preventable disease that can lead to fatalities,” said Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist. He warned that measles’ high contagion could lead to more cases in the coming weeks.
Dr. Lara Johnson, chief medical officer at Covenant Children’s and Covenant Health, reported that her health system treated around 20 unvaccinated patients during this outbreak. Most are children with respiratory complications linked to pneumonia. “This is the first time I’ve encountered a measles outbreak in my career,” Johnson told ABC News.
Despite the surge in cases, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downplayed the situation during a Cabinet meeting. He noted fewer outbreaks this year than last year. He claimed that children hospitalize for quarantine reasons, which local health officials contradicted, stating that admissions depend on medical necessity.
Health authorities urge all unvaccinated individuals to get the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The CDC recommends two doses for protection: the first between 12 and 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years. Recent data shows a decline in vaccination rates. About 93% of kindergarteners received routine vaccinations for the 2022-23 school year.
Experts warn that the Texas outbreak reflects a larger trend of decreasing vaccination rates, especially in areas where coverage falls below the critical 95% threshold needed to prevent outbreaks of highly contagious diseases like measles.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.