The measles epidemic claims the life of Texas child

Houston: A non -vaccinated child in Texas died of measles, healthcare officials confirmed on Wednesday, signaling the first measles -related death in the United States in almost a decade, as the country faces with increasing epidemic.

Death comes amid reduced immunization rates at national level, with the latest cases concentrated in a religious community of Mennonite that historically showed a hesitation.

It comes in a thin moment for US public health, such as Kennedy, who has long spread fake for the measles, mumps and reds (MMR) vaccine, begins his term as secretary of health.

“The non -vaccin school age child was hospitalized in Lubbock last week and was positively tested for measles,” the state healthcare section said in a press release.

A statement from Lubbock City confirmed that the child died “within the last 24 hours”.

Since the beginning of the year, more than 130 cases have been reported in western Texas and neighboring New Mexico, the vast majority in non -vaccinated children.

Eighteen have been hospitalized in Texas and health officials warn that the epidemic is likely to grow.

Facing reporters during a meeting of President Donald Trump’s cabinet, Kennedy downgraded the situation, stating: “It is not uncommon.

He also declared death as two – but neither Texas nor the Health Departments of New Mexico said they were aware of any extra death.

“While the multiple measles epidemics in the United States have not led to death, it was only a matter of time when someone would happen,” Johns Hopkins University’s infectious doctor of Adalja told AFP.

“Measles still kills over 100,000 people each year worldwide. Death must serve as a reminder that there was a reason why the vaccine was developed and that the vaccine is value for individuals,” Adalja said.

“These deaths are almost entirely preventive.”

Religious exemptions

The focus of the epidemic is the Gaines county, which hosts a major population of Mennonite, a Christian heresy with a history of hesitation.

The law of Texas allows exceptions of vaccines for reasons of consciousness, including religious beliefs.

Disease Control and Prevention Centers (CDC) constitute a 95 % vaccination rate for maintaining “immunity of herds”.

However, the coverage between kindergarten decreased from 95.2 % in the 2019-2020 school year to 92.7 % in 2023-2024, leaving about 280,000 children vulnerable.

The last death associated with measles was in 2015, when a woman in the state of Washington died of pneumonia caused by the virus. It was vaccinated, but received immunosuppressive medication. Prior to that, the previous recorded measles death was in 2003.

Air threat

Measles is an extremely contagious respiratory virus that spreads through droplets when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. It provides a serious risk for non -vaccinated individuals, including infants under 12 months that are usually not eligible for vaccination and those with a weakened immune system.

During restaurants, about one in five infected people require hospitalization and one in 20 develops pneumonia.

In rare cases, measles leads to brain edema and can be fatal. It also increases the risk of complications of pregnancy, including premature birth and low birth weight.

The United States reported 285 cases of measles in 2023, according to the CDC. The largest recent epidemic was in 2019, with 1,274 cases – mainly in the Orthodox Jewish communities in New York and New Jersey – the highest national whole in decades.

Prior to the measles vaccine it was introduced in 1963, it is believed that millions reported the disease annually and several hundred died. While measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000, the outbreaks remain every year.

The RFK JR has repeatedly linked the MMR vaccine to autism, a claim that was detailed by scientific research.

In one of its first actions, the Federal Health Department postponed a common meeting of an independent advisory committee that makes a vaccine recommendations on the CDC.