A child who was not vaccinated has tragically died from measles in West Texas, marking the first death in an outbreak that began late last month and the first measles-related death in the U.S. since 2015. The Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed the death of a school-aged child who had not been vaccinated and had been hospitalized last week. The measles outbreak in rural West Texas has now grown to 124 cases across nine counties, making it the largest outbreak in Texas in nearly 30 years. Additionally, there are nine cases reported in eastern New Mexico.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has verified that this is the first measles-related death in the country since 2015. Vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic, with most states falling below the 95% vaccination threshold for kindergartners, which is crucial for preventing measles outbreaks.
