Measles Outbreak Kills Child in West Texas: First Death Since 2015!

2025-02-27 07:39:56.332

A school-aged child in West Texas has died from measles, the first measles death in the US since 2015. The unvaccinated child, hospitalized in Lubbock, Texas, is one of 124 confirmed cases in a growing outbreak. Most cases involve children aged 5-17, all unvaccinated or of unknown vaccination status. Eighteen people have been hospitalized, primarily for respiratory issues related to measles pneumonia, not quarantine as initially stated by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The outbreak began in Gaines County and has spread to eight other counties. Low vaccination rates, particularly in Gaines County where nearly 1 in 5 kindergartners lacked the MMR vaccine, are contributing factors. Experts warn that the outbreak could continue for months due to the highly contagious nature of measles and low vaccination rates across West Texas. Free vaccination clinics have been established in Lubbock, but experts fear further spread and the potential for outbreaks of other vaccine-preventable diseases.