The United States has recorded its first measles-related death in a decade, following an outbreak of the highly contagious disease in Texas.
An unvaccinated school-aged child tragically passed away overnight after being hospitalized in Lubbock, northwest Texas, as confirmed by the state’s health department on Wednesday.
This heartbreaking death highlights the ongoing concerns surrounding falling vaccination rates in the US, alongside growing controversy over the appointment of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the country’s top health official.
So far this year, over 130 measles cases have been reported in Texas and neighboring New Mexico, with nearly all of the cases occurring in unvaccinated individuals.
The majority of infections have been concentrated in communities of Mennonite Christian followers, who are known for their vaccine hesitancy.
At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Kennedy, who has promoted debunked research linking vaccines to autism, downplayed the seriousness of the outbreak, stating, “There have been four measles outbreaks this year… it’s not unusual. We have measles outbreaks every year.” However, health experts stress the danger posed by the disease, particularly to unvaccinated individuals and infants too young to receive vaccinations.
In 2019, the US experienced a dramatic rise in measles cases, reaching a two-decade peak of 1,274, before the pandemic led to a sharp decline. Last year, there were 285 cases, up from 59 in 2023 and 121 the year before.
The World Health Organization declared measles eliminated from the US in 2000, but the nation’s status has been increasingly threatened by the anti-vaccine movement.
The last measles-related death in the US was reported in 2015, following 12 years without a fatality tied to the disease.
Measles remains a serious threat, particularly for unvaccinated individuals. The CDC estimates that about one in five unvaccinated people who contract measles are hospitalized, and up to 1 in 20 children with the disease develop pneumonia.
These troubling statistics underscore the importance of vaccination in preventing outbreaks and safeguarding public health.
