Kid Dies of Measles Amid Outbreak in West Texas

A college-aged kid has died from measles amid a pandemic in West Texas, marking the primary reported measles demise within the U.S. in a decade.

The Texas Division of State Well being Services and products showed Wednesday {that a} “school-aged kid who was once no longer vaccinated” had died after being hospitalized remaining week, the Related Press studies.

The measles outbreak in West Texas has risen to 124 circumstances throughout 9 counties, the worst outbreak within the state in over 30 years. Nearly all of the circumstances heart at the Mennonite communities, the place lots of the youngsters are “undervaccinated,” state well being division spokesperson Lara Anton stated.

The Related Press studies that 80 circumstances are in Gaines County, which has one of the most worst vaccination charges a few of the state, with 14 % of kids opting out of required vaccinations.

Whilst the extremely contagious measles was once declared totally eradicated within the U.S. in 2000, the upward push of the anti-vax motion — which has solid a depressing and misinformed shadow on adolescence vaccinations — has observed the emergence of outbreaks lately, together with in Washington state in 2019 and Oregon in 2024. 

Whilst youngsters who’re inflamed with measles, a respiration virus, in large part get well with out everlasting diseases, some circumstances have result in blindness, mind swelling, and — in terms of West Texas — demise; previous to Wednesday’s information, there have been no recorded measles demise within the U.S. since 2015.

The measles outbreak comes amid information that the Trump management and its well being division secretary Robert F. Kennedy — himself a best “superspreader” of vaccine incorrect information on social media ahead of launching his political occupation — plan to research the adolescence vaccine agenda.