A second school-aged child in West Texas has died from complications related to the ongoing measles outbreak, hospital officials confirmed on Sunday. The child, who was unvaccinated, had been receiving treatment for measles complications while hospitalized, according to Aaron Davis, a spokesperson for UMC Health System in Lubbock. The exact date of the child’s death has not been released.
This marks the second measles-related death in Texas in recent months. In February, the first measles death in the United States in a decade occurred in Lubbock, also involving an unvaccinated school-aged child. Earlier in March, an adult in New Mexico who was also unvaccinated and did not seek medical care died from the disease.
The outbreak, which started in West Texas, has now spread across several states, including New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas. The number of measles cases has reached nearly 570, with cases also being reported in Mexico, as confirmed by the World Health Organization. Between March 28 and April 4 alone, the number of cases in Texas increased by 81, and 16 more individuals were hospitalized. A team from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently assisting with the outbreak response in the region.
Despite the surge in cases, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Texas State Department of Health Services did not include the recent death in their measles reports issued on Friday. Both agencies did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding the situation.
Health experts warn that the West Texas outbreak, which is predominantly affecting unvaccinated individuals and children under 17, could continue for several months, potentially even up to a year. As the U.S. faces a nationwide increase in measles cases—more than double the number seen in 2024—there are growing concerns about the potential loss of the country’s status as having eliminated the disease. Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus that can remain in the air for up to two hours, and up to 90% of unvaccinated individuals exposed to the virus will contract it.
The CDC recommends that children receive their first measles vaccination at 12 to 15 months of age and a second dose at 4 to 6 years. Despite the availability of an effective vaccine, the outbreak underscores the risks posed by vaccine hesitancy. Notably, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent anti-vaccine activist, has been criticized for sending mixed messages about the importance of vaccination while questioning the safety of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which has been in use for over 60 years and is 97% effective after two doses.
As the outbreak continues to unfold, local health authorities urge individuals to get vaccinated to prevent further spread of the disease and protect vulnerable populations.
