Karmactive Staff
An unvaccinated school-aged child in West Texas has died from measles, marking the first U.S. death from the disease since 2015. The child was hospitalized in Lubbock before passing away amid a growing outbreak that has now reached 124 confirmed cases across nine counties in West Texas.
“This is a big deal,” said Dr. Amy Thompson, pediatrician and chief executive officer of Covenant Health, during a news conference. “We have known that we have measles in our community, and we are now seeing a very serious consequence.”
The outbreak has primarily affected children, with most cases concentrated in a “close-knit, undervaccinated” Mennonite community, according to Texas Department of State Health Services spokesperson Lara Anton. The majority of cases are among school-aged children between 5 and 17 years old.
Gaines County, which has reported 80 cases, has one of the highest rates of vaccine exemptions in Texas. Nearly 14% of school-aged children there opted out of at least one required vaccine last school year, and about 1 in 5 incoming kindergartners did not receive the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Medical Response and Hospitalizations
At least 18 people have been hospitalized during the outbreak. All hospitalized patients were either unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status, according to state health officials.
Dr. Lara Johnson, chief medical officer at Covenant Health Lubbock, clarified that patients were not being hospitalized for quarantine purposes but rather for serious respiratory issues. “We don’t hospitalize patients for quarantine purposes,” Johnson said. “We admit patients who need acute supportive treatment in our hospital.”
Some patients developed bacterial pneumonia and needed oxygen support. Others required intubation, though the exact number wasn’t disclosed due to privacy concerns.
“Unfortunately, like so many viruses, there aren’t any specific treatments for measles,” Johnson explained. “What we’re doing is providing supportive care, helping support the patients as they hopefully recover.”
Officials’ Responses
The Texas Department of State Health Services is leading the response to the outbreak, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Vaccination teams have been deployed to affected areas, and the Lubbock department of health has opened free vaccination clinics, which have administered about 70 vaccinations since the outbreak began.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said through a spokesman that his office is in regular communication with the state health department and epidemiologists. “The state will deploy all necessary resources to ensure the safety and health of Texans,” said spokesman Andrew Mahaleris, calling the child’s death a tragedy.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the new U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and a known vaccine critic, downplayed the outbreak during a White House cabinet meeting, calling it “not unusual” and stating, “You have measles outbreaks every year.” He initially claimed two people had died, but health officials confirmed only one death.
Dr. Johnson contested Kennedy’s characterization, noting, “The United States had really gotten to a point where we just didn’t see these kinds of outbreaks happening. Obviously, that has changed over the last 20 something years, and so we do see outbreaks more frequently, but that is related to how much we’re vaccinating our population.”
Disease Spread and Risks
Health experts warn that the outbreak may continue to grow due to the highly contagious nature of the virus. Measles spreads through the air and can remain infectious in a space for up to two hours after an infected person leaves.
“I very rarely say I’m 100% sure of something, but I am 100% sure we will see an increase in cases,” said Dr. Catherine Troisi, an infectious disease epidemiologist with UTHealth Houston. “Texas as a state is under vaccinated, so there are susceptible people.”
According to Lara Anton of the Texas Department of State Health Services, an unvaccinated person has a 90 percent chance of being infected if exposed, and an infected person can be contagious for up to four days before showing symptoms.
Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, believes the 124 confirmed cases likely undercount the actual spread, as some children may not seek medical care or are awaiting laboratory confirmation.
Vaccine Effectiveness and Historical Context
The MMR vaccine is highly effective at preventing measles infection and severe complications. The CDC recommends children receive their first dose at 12-15 months and the second dose at 4-6 years.
The United States had considered measles eliminated in 2000, meaning there had been no continuous spread for at least a year. However, vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic, with most states now below the 95% threshold needed to prevent outbreaks.
For every 1,000 children who contract measles, up to three will die from complications. One in 20 will develop pneumonia, the most common cause of death from the disease. Other complications can include blindness, encephalitis (brain swelling), and permanent hearing loss.
“Measles is the most infectious virus we know,” said Dr. Troisi. “However, it’s a harbinger of low vaccination rates, and it is quite likely we will start seeing outbreaks of other diseases that are vaccine preventable as well as these vaccine rates decrease.”
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