LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — A baby who wasn’t vaccinated died in a measles outbreak in rural West Texas, state officers mentioned Wednesday, the primary U.S. demise from the extremely contagious — however preventable — respiratory illness since 2015.
The varsity-aged little one had been hospitalized and died Tuesday night time amid the widespread outbreak, Texas’ largest in nearly 30 years. Because it started final month, a rash of 124 circumstances has erupted throughout 9 counties.
The Texas Division of State Well being Providers and Lubbock well being officers confirmed the demise to The Related Press. The kid wasn’t recognized however was handled at Covenant Youngsters’s Hospital in Lubbock, although the power famous the affected person didn’t dwell in Lubbock County.
“This can be a massive deal,” Dr. Amy Thompson, a pediatrician and chief govt officer of Covenant Well being, mentioned Wednesday at a information convention. “Now we have recognized that now we have measles in our group, and we are actually seeing a really severe consequence.”
In federal response, RFK Jr. seems to misstate a number of info
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s high well being official and a vaccine critic, mentioned Wednesday that the U.S. Division of the Well being and Human Providers is watching circumstances and dismissed the Texas outbreak as “commonplace.”
He appeared to misstate a lot of info, together with a declare that the majority who had been hospitalized have been there just for “quarantine.” Dr. Lara Johnson at Covenant contested that characterization.
“We don’t hospitalize sufferers for quarantine functions,” mentioned Johnson, the chief medical officer.
Kennedy additionally appeared to misspeak in saying two folks had died of measles. A spokesman — Andrew Nixon, for the Division of Well being and Human Providers — later clarified that the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention has recognized just one demise.
The federal authorities is offering vaccines in addition to technical and laboratory assist in West Texas, however the state well being division is main the response, Nixon mentioned.
The CDC has mentioned it can present solely weekly updates on the measles outbreak, and had not but up to date its public webpage to replicate the kid’s demise. Texas well being division information exhibits {that a} majority of the reported measles circumstances are in kids.
In rural Texas, some sufferers have wanted oxygen or intubation
The virus has largely unfold amongst rural, oil rig-dotted cities in West Texas, with circumstances concentrated in a “close-knit, undervaccinated” Mennonite group, state well being division spokesperson Lara Anton mentioned.
Gaines County, which has reported 80 circumstances up to now, has a robust homeschooling and personal college group. It’s also dwelling to one of many highest charges of school-aged kids in Texas who’ve opted out of not less than one required vaccine, with almost 14% skipping a required dose final college yr.
Greater than 20 measles sufferers have been hospitalized at Covenant, together with the outbreak’s first recognized case, hospital officers mentioned.
Some sufferers’ respiratory points progressed to bacterial pneumonia, they usually wanted an oxygen tube to breathe, Johnson instructed The Related Press. Others needed to be intubated, although Johnson declined to say what number of attributable to privateness issues.
“Sadly, like so many viruses, there aren’t any particular remedies for measles,” she mentioned. “What we’re doing is offering supportive care, serving to assist the sufferers as they hopefully get well.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott mentioned by means of a spokesman that his workplace is in common communication with the state well being division and epidemiologists, and that vaccination groups are within the “affected space.”
“The state will deploy all crucial sources to make sure the protection and well being of Texans,” mentioned spokesman Andrew Mahaleris, calling the kid’s demise a tragedy.
Later Wednesday, the state well being division confirmed a brand new measles case in Rockwall County, east of Dallas. The particular person had traveled internationally and isn’t associated to the West Texas outbreak.
Vaccines are secure and efficient, and measles was as soon as thought of eradicated
The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is secure and extremely efficient at stopping an infection and extreme circumstances. The primary shot is really helpful for kids ages 12 to fifteen months, and the second for ages 4 to six years.
The vaccine collection is required for youths earlier than getting into kindergarten in public colleges nationwide. Most children will get well from measles, however an infection can result in harmful problems akin to pneumonia, blindness, mind swelling and demise.
Vaccination charges have declined nationwide because the COVID-19 pandemic, and most states are beneath the 95% vaccination threshold for kindergartners — the extent wanted to guard communities in opposition to measles outbreaks.
Final week, Kennedy vowed to analyze the childhood vaccine schedule that stops measles, polio and different harmful illnesses, regardless of guarantees to not change it throughout his affirmation hearings.
The U.S. had thought of measles — a respiratory virus that may survive within the air for as much as two hours — eradicated in 2000, which meant there had been a halt in steady unfold of the illness for not less than a yr. Measles circumstances rose in 2024, together with a Chicago outbreak that sickened more than 60.
Within the present outbreak, Lubbock’s first case was in an unvaccinated little one who sat in an emergency room with a child who had measles, mentioned Katherine Wells, director of the native well being division, calling it a testomony to how shortly the virus spreads.
“If you see it in actual life, you actually understand how contagious it’s,” mentioned Wells, noting she expects extra native circumstances, with a pair below investigation as of Wednesday. “A whole family will get sick so shortly. Complete households are getting sick with measles.”
AP writers Jim Vertuno and JoNel Aleccia contributed to this report. Seitz reported from Washington.
The Related Press Well being and Science Division receives assist from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Academic Media Group and the Robert Wooden Johnson Basis. The AP is solely answerable for all content material.
