DALLAS – Health authorities in Texas reported a significant rise in measles cases, reaching 146 amid an outbreak that tragically resulted in the death of an unvaccinated child. This week marks an increase of 22 cases since Tuesday, making it the largest outbreak in the state in nearly three decades, as confirmed by the Texas Department of State Health Services. These cases are dispersed across nine counties, with Gaines County alone accounting for almost 100 cases. Additionally, about 20 people have been hospitalized due to the illness.
Unfortunately, the death earlier this week of a school-aged child marked the first fatality in the United States from this highly contagious, but preventable respiratory virus since 2015, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The child received treatment at Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock; however, it was noted that the child was not a resident of Lubbock County.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., head of U.S. health policy and known for his views critical of vaccines, stated earlier in the week that the Department of Health and Human Services is monitoring the situation. However, he downplayed the outbreak, stating it was “not unusual.”
The measles virus has predominantly spread through rural areas of West Texas, primarily affecting a “close-knit, undervaccinated” Mennonite community according to state health department spokesperson Lara Anton. Gaines County, which is characterized by a strong homeschooling and private school presence, also records one of the highest exemption rates from required school vaccines for children, with nearly 14% of children skipping at least one required dose in the previous school year.
In Texas, the law allows for exemptions from required school vaccinations on grounds of conscience, including religious beliefs. Anton suggests that the proportion of unvaccinated children in Gaines County is potentially much higher due to unreported data on homeschooled children.
The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is known to be safe and highly effective in preventing serious cases of measles infection. Vaccination is recommended with the first dose given between ages 12 to 15 months and the second dose between ages 4 to 6 years. While most children are able to recover from measles, the infection can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling, and in some cases, death.
Vaccination coverage has seen a decline across the United States since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and most states are currently below the 95% vaccination rate for kindergartners – the percentage required to effectively prevent community-level measles outbreaks.
Measles, a respiratory virus, was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, which indicated a break in continuous spread nationwide for a year or more. Despite this, measles cases surged again in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago affecting over 60 individuals.
In Eastern New Mexico, there are currently nine recorded cases of measles. However, the state health department confirmed these are not connected to the West Texas outbreak.
