U.S. Well being and Human Companies Secretary Robert Okay. Kennedy Jr. visited the epicenter of Texas’ still-growing measles outbreak on Sunday, the identical day a funeral was held for a second younger youngster who was not vaccinated and died from a measles-related sickness.
Kennedy mentioned in a social media publish that he was working to “management the outbreak” and went to Gaines County to consolation the households who’ve buried two younger youngsters. He was seen late Sunday afternoon outdoors of a Mennonite church the place the funeral companies have been held, however he didn’t attend a close-by information convention held by the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention concerning the outbreak.
Seminole is the epicure of the outbreak, which began in late January and continues to swell — with almost 500 circumstances in Texas alone, plus circumstances from the outbreak believed to have unfold to New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Mexico.
The second younger youngster died Thursday from “what the kid’s physician described as measles pulmonary failure,” and didn’t have underlying well being circumstances, the Texas State Division of State Well being Companies mentioned Sunday in a information launch. Aaron Davis, a spokesperson for UMC Well being System in Lubbock, mentioned that the kid was “receiving therapy for problems of measles whereas hospitalized.”
That is the third recognized measles-related loss of life tied to this outbreak. One was one other elementary-school aged youngster in Texas and the opposite was an grownup in New Mexico; neither have been vaccinated.
It’s Kennedy’s first go to to the realm as well being secretary, the place he mentioned he met with households of each the 6- and 8-year-old youngsters who died. He mentioned he “developed bonds” with the Mennonite group in West Texas during which the virus is usually spreading.
Kennedy, an anti-vaccine advocate earlier than ascending to the function of nation’s prime well being secretary earlier this yr, has resisted urging widespread vaccinations because the measles outbreak has worsened below his watch. On Sunday, nevertheless, he mentioned in a prolonged assertion posted on X that it was “the simplest technique to stop the unfold of measles.”
The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine has been used safely for greater than 60 years and is 97% efficient in opposition to measles after two doses.
Dr. Manisha Patel, CDC incident supervisor, mentioned in a Sunday information convention that the MMR vaccine is one of the simplest ways to guard in opposition to measles. She additionally instructed dad and mom in Gaines County that it was necessary to not “delay care” for a kid who’s sick with measles.
“Name your physician and ensure you’re speaking to a well being care skilled who can information you on these subsequent steps,” Patel mentioned.
Kennedy’s social media publish mentioned CDC workers had been “redeployed.” CDC spokesman Jason McDonald clarified late Sunday that the primary CDC staff arrived in early March and left Gaines County on April 1, whereas a staff led by Patel “was redeployed and arrived right now to evaluate wants” as ordered by Kennedy and requested by Texas’ governor.
Requested concerning the outbreak Sunday by reporters on Air Power One, Trump mentioned, “they’re doing studies on it,” including that if the outbreak “progresses, we’ll must take motion very strongly.”
Neither the CDC nor the state well being division included the loss of life of their measles studies issued Friday, however the CDC acknowledged it when requested Sunday.
The variety of circumstances in Texas shot up by 81 between March 28 and April 4, and 16 extra folks have been hospitalized. Nationwide, the U.S. has greater than double the variety of measles circumstances it noticed in all of 2024.
Republican U.S. Sen. Invoice Cassidy from Louisiana, a liver physician whose vote helped cinch Kennedy’s affirmation, known as Sunday for stronger messaging from well being officers in a publish on X.
“Everybody ought to be vaccinated! There is no such thing as a therapy for measles. No profit to getting measles,” he wrote. “Prime well being officers ought to say so unequivocally b/4 one other youngster dies.”
Cassidy has requested Kennedy to seem earlier than his well being committee Thursday, though Kennedy has not publicly confirmed whether or not he’ll attend.
A CDC spokesperson famous the efficacy of the measles vaccine Sunday however stopped in need of calling on folks to get it. Departing from long-standing public well being messaging round vaccination, the spokesperson known as the choice a “private one” and inspired folks to speak with their physician. Folks “ought to be knowledgeable concerning the potential dangers and advantages related to vaccines,” the spokesperson added.
Misinformation about methods to stop and deal with measles is hindering a strong public well being response, together with claims about vitamin A dietary supplements which have been pushed by Kennedy and holistic medication supporters regardless of medical doctors’ warnings that it ought to be given below a doctor’s orders and that an excessive amount of might be harmful.
Medical doctors at Covenant Youngsters’s Hospital in Lubbock, the place the primary measles loss of life occurred, say they’ve handled fewer than 10 youngsters for liver points from vitamin A toxicity, which they discovered when working routine lab exams on youngsters who will not be totally vaccinated and have measles. Dr. Lara Johnson, chief medical officer, mentioned the sufferers reported utilizing vitamin A to deal with and forestall the virus.
Dr. Peter Marks, the Meals and Drug Administration’s former vaccine chief, mentioned duty for the loss of life rests with Kennedy and his workers. Marks was pressured out of the FDA after disagreements with Kennedy over vaccine security.
“That is the epitome of an absolute useless loss of life,” Marks instructed The Related Press in an interview Sunday. “These children ought to get vaccinated — that’s the way you stop folks from dying of measles.”
Marks additionally mentioned he not too long ago warned U.S. senators that extra deaths would happen if the administration didn’t mount a extra aggressive response to the outbreak.
Consultants and native well being officers count on the outbreak to go on for a number of extra months if not a yr. In West Texas, the overwhelming majority of circumstances are in unvaccinated folks and kids youthful than 17.
With a number of states dealing with outbreaks of the vaccine-preventable illness — and declining childhood vaccination charges nationwide — some fear that measles could price the U.S. its standing as having eradicated the illness.
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 inclined will get the virus if uncovered, in line with the CDC. The primary shot is really helpful for kids ages 12 to fifteen months, and the second for ages 4 to six years.
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Seitz reported from Washington. Photojournalist Annie Rice in Seminole, Texas, and AP reporter Matthew Perrone in Washington contributed to this report.
Copyright 2025 Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials might not be revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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