Texas Reports First Fatality in Measles Outbreak
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Synopsis
Texas has reported its first death linked to the ongoing measles outbreak, primarily affecting unvaccinated children. As cases rise, health officials urge vaccination as the best prevention method.
Key Takeaways
- First death in Texas measles outbreak
- 124 confirmed cases in South Plains
- Majority of cases in unvaccinated children
- Measles is highly contagious
- Vaccination crucial for prevention
Los Angeles, Feb 27 (NationPress) The state of Texas has confirmed the first fatality linked to the current measles outbreak in the United States.
The deceased was a school-aged child who had not received vaccinations, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
This individual was hospitalized in Lubbock last week and tested positive for measles, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS).
As of February 25, a total of 124 cases of measles have been confirmed in the outbreak affecting the South Plains region of Texas since late January, with the majority of cases occurring in children.
Eighteen individuals have been hospitalized, of which five had been vaccinated. The vaccination status of the remaining cases is either unvaccinated or unknown, according to TDSHS.
Measles is an extremely contagious respiratory illness that poses serious health risks to anyone lacking immunity against the virus.
During a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a known vaccine skeptic who was recently appointed as Secretary of Health and Human Services, mentioned that two fatalities had occurred in the Texas outbreak. However, health authorities in Texas and New Mexico have only verified one death in Texas.
Currently, the cases in Texas represent nearly half of the 285 confirmed cases nationwide in 2024.
Additionally, nine new cases were reported on Tuesday in eastern New Mexico, adjacent to the Texas border, where the outbreak has now spread to approximately 10 counties, according to Texas health officials.
Measles can be transmitted through direct contact with infectious droplets or via airborne transmission when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Symptoms typically begin to appear within one to two weeks following exposure.
The most effective way to avoid infection is through vaccination with two doses of a measles-containing vaccine, which is usually given as the combination measles-mumps-rubella or MMR vaccine, according to TDSHS.
Receiving two doses of the MMR vaccine prevents over 97 percent of measles infections.
