Tejal Somvanshi
A measles outbreak in West Texas has claimed the life of a second unvaccinated child, intensifying concerns about vaccine hesitancy and public health responses. The 8-year-old girl, who had no underlying health conditions, died on Thursday from “measles pulmonary failure” while receiving hospital treatment.
The death marks the second child fatality in Texas since late January when the outbreak began. A six-year-old unvaccinated girl was the first measles death in the U.S. in a decade when she died in February. An adult in New Mexico also died after testing positive for measles, though officials have not confirmed that measles was the cause of death.
Kennedy’s Response Under Scrutiny
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. travelled to West Texas on Sunday to attend the girl’s funeral and console the families affected by the outbreak.
“My intention was to come down here quietly to console the families and to be with the community in their moment of grief,” Kennedy wrote on social media platform X.
In his most direct statement on vaccines since the outbreak began, Kennedy acknowledged: “The most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine.” This represents a shift in tone for Kennedy, who has a long history of vaccine skepticism.
Hours after this statement, Kennedy sparked fresh controversy by promoting what health experts call “unorthodox, unproven” treatments. He praised doctors who had treated children with measles using aerosolized budesonide (a steroid) and clarithromycin (an antibiotic) – treatments not medically accepted for measles. The Mayo Clinic warns that budesonide “may weaken your immune system” and advises avoiding people with infections like measles.
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Growing Crisis in Numbers
The outbreak has now infected at least 505 cases in Texas as of 8th April, with 57 hospitalizations and cases spreading to neighboring states:
- 54 cases in New Mexico
- 10 cases in Oklahoma
- 24 potential related cases in Kansas as of Wednesday
Nearly all cases occurred in unvaccinated individuals, with 70% affecting children and teens. Gaines County accounts for nearly 66% of cases in Texas. Health officials warn these figures likely represent a significant undercount, as many cases go unreported.
Expert Reactions
Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican physician who voted to confirm Kennedy, called for stronger messaging: “Everyone should be vaccinated! There is no treatment for measles. No benefit to getting measles. Top health officials should say so unequivocally b/4 another child dies.”
Dr. Peter Marks, who recently resigned as the FDA’s top vaccine regulator partly due to Kennedy’s handling of the outbreak, called the child’s death “an absolute needless death.“”These kids should get vaccinated — that’s how you prevent people from dying of measles,” Marks said.
Experts fear the outbreak could continue for months or even a year, potentially threatening America’s “measles elimination” status achieved in 2000.
Measles Dangers
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known. The virus can survive in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves a room. For every 1,000 children infected, one or two will die from complications.
Beyond its telltale rash, measles can cause severe pneumonia, making it difficult for patients to get oxygen. The virus can also cause brain swelling, potentially leading to blindness, deafness, or intellectual disabilities.The MMR vaccine is 97% effective at preventing measles after two doses, with the first shot recommended for children between 12-15 months in the U.S.
As vaccination rates continue to decline nationally and misinformation spreads, public health officials warn more outbreaks like this will occur, putting vulnerable populations at risk.
