Topic: US News
by MPeriod
Posted 6 months ago
The United States has reported its first measles-related death in nearly a decade as an unvaccinated child in Lubbock, Texas succumbed to the highly contagious virus, state health officials confirmed on Wednesday. The tragic incident comes amid a surge in measles cases and declining vaccination rates across the country.
Since the start of 2024, at least 130 measles cases have been confirmed in Texas and neighboring New Mexico, with 18 hospitalizations reported in Texas alone. The outbreak is centered in Gaines County, home to a significant Mennonite population, a community known for vaccine hesitancy.
Additional cases have been reported in New Jersey, Kentucky, Alaska, California, Georgia, and Rhode Island, prompting concerns of a wider resurgence. Health officials warn that with national MMR vaccination rates dropping in recent years, the virus could spread further.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 95% of the population needs to be vaccinated to maintain herd immunity. However, the national vaccination rate among kindergartners has declined from 95.2% in 2019 to 92.7% in 2024, leaving over 280,000 children vulnerable to infection.
“Measles still kills over 100,000 people worldwide each year. This death serves as a reminder that the vaccine was developed for a reason—these deaths are almost entirely preventable.”
The MMR vaccine is highly effective, with one dose providing 93% immunity and two doses increasing protection to 97%. The CDC currently recommends the first dose at 12–15 months and the second at 4–6 years old. Most vaccinated adults do not need a booster, except for those who received an inactivated measles vaccine between 1963 and 1967, which was later found to be ineffective.
During a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, newly appointed U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a long-time vaccine skeptic, dismissed concerns about the outbreak:
“It’s not unusual. We have measles outbreaks every year.”
Kennedy also claimed that two people had died from the outbreak but provided no further details. Health officials have yet to confirm a second fatality.
One of Kennedy’s first actions as health secretary was to postpone a key CDC vaccine advisory panel meeting originally scheduled for February 26–28. The meeting was expected to address vaccine recommendations for measles, meningococcal disease, and influenza. No new date has been announced.
Measles is an extremely contagious respiratory virus that spreads through airborne droplets from coughing or sneezing. It can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.
For unvaccinated individuals, the virus can be life-threatening:
Despite being declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000 due to high vaccination rates, measles has continued to resurface, with the largest outbreak occurring in 2019, when 1,274 cases were reported, primarily in Orthodox Jewish communities in New York and New Jersey.
As the Texas outbreak grows, health officials have confirmed new measles cases in Kentucky and New Jersey:
“Measles is one of the most contagious viruses in the world. Fortunately, it can be prevented with the MMR vaccine, which is safe and effective.”
Health officials nationwide are urging parents to vaccinate their children to prevent further outbreaks. The CDC has also warned that delays in routine vaccinations due to the COVID-19 pandemic have left many children at risk.
With Kennedy at the helm of the Department of Health and Human Services, concerns remain about how his past opposition to vaccines could influence national immunization efforts. Meanwhile, local and state health departments continue working to contain the spread and prevent further fatalities.
The recent measles-related death is a stark reminder of why vaccines are critical in preventing infectious diseases. While outbreaks may be "not unusual," as Kennedy claimed, public health experts stress that they are entirely preventable through vaccination.