A school-aged child in West Texas has died from measles, marking the first U.S. measles death since 2015 and the first fatality in an outbreak that has now grown to 124 cases across nine counties. The child was unvaccinated and had been hospitalized last week, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Despite the rarity of measles deaths in the U.S., Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downplayed concerns, calling the outbreak “not unusual” in a meeting with President Donald Trump’s cabinet. However, health officials have warned that no child has died from measles in the U.S. in the last decade, emphasizing the effectiveness of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine in preventing severe cases.
The outbreak has primarily affected a low-vaccination Mennonite community in West Texas, where nearly 14% of school-aged children in Gaines County have opted out of required vaccinations.
The CDC is providing technical assistance, laboratory support, and vaccines, while Texas health officials are leading the response. The governor’s office has pledged to deploy all necessary resources. A news conference is scheduled in Lubbock to address concerns.
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