Texas measles outbreak: First loss of life reported is unvaccinated little one, officers sa

LUBBOCK, Texas — An individual who was hospitalized with measles has died from measles in West Texas, the primary loss of life in an outbreak that started late final month.

The Texas Division of State Well being Providers on Wednesday confirmed the loss of life. DSHS mentioned the affected person was an unvaccinated school-aged little one.

Covenant Youngsters’s Hospital in Lubbock did not instantly reply to a request for remark.

The measles outbreak in rural West Texas has grown to 124 circumstances throughout 9 counties, the state well being division mentioned Tuesday. DSHS mentioned a lot of the circumstances are in kids and 18 folks have been hospitalized over the course of the outbreak.

The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention confirmed that is the primary measles loss of life within the nation since 2015. Measles circumstances had been the worst in virtually three a long time in 2019, and there was an increase in circumstances in 2024, together with an outbreak in Chicago that sickened greater than 60.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. mentioned that the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers is “watching” the outbreak, which he described as “commonplace” throughout a Wednesday assembly of President Donald Trump’s cupboard members. The well being secretary didn’t present specifics on how or if the federal company is aiding on the bottom.

“The loss of a kid is a tragedy,” and Gov. Greg Abbott and his spouse are praying for “the household, family members and all the Lubbock neighborhood,” Abbott spokesman Andrew Mahaleris mentioned. He added that the governor’s workplace is in “common communication” with the state well being division, that epidemiologists and vaccination groups are within the “affected space,” and that there are “day by day scenario updates and coordination calls” with native well being officers.

“The state will deploy all obligatory assets to make sure the security and well being of Texans,” Mahaleris mentioned.

Vaccination charges throughout the U.S. have declined nationwide for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic and most states are under the 95% vaccination threshold for kindergartners — the extent wanted to guard communities in opposition to measles outbreaks. Measles circumstances had been the worst in virtually three a long time in 2019, and there was an increase in circumstances in 2024, together with an outbreak in Chicago that sickened greater than 60.

Measles is a respiratory virus that may survive within the air for as much as two hours. As much as 9 out of 10 people who find themselves prone will get the virus if uncovered, in response to the CDC. Most children will get better from the measles in the event that they get it, however an infection can result in harmful problems like pneumonia, blindness, mind swelling and loss of life.

The outbreak is basically spreading within the Mennonite neighborhood in an space the place small cities are separated by huge stretches of oil rig-dotted open land however related as a result of folks touring between cities for work, church, grocery buying and different day-to-day errands.

The Related Press contributed to this story.

Signs normally start 7 to 14 days after an infection, the CDC says.

• Excessive fever (might spike to greater than 104°)
• Cough
• Runny nostril
• Crimson, watery eyes or conjunctivitis
• Tiny white spots might seem contained in the mouth two to 3 days after signs start

A rash sometimes seems three to 5 days after the primary signs, in response to the CDC. It normally begins as flat purple spots that seem on the face on the hairline. They then unfold downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and toes.

• Small raised bumps may additionally seem on high of the flat purple spots.
• The spots might grow to be joined collectively as they unfold from the top to the remainder of the physique.
• When the rash seems, an individual’s fever might spike to greater than 104° Fahrenheit.