New measles cases continue to emerge following the first reported death linked to an outbreak in West Texas. The pediatric patient, a resident of Gaines County, tragically passed away in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday, as indicated by a statement from health officials. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), the child was described as “school-aged” and did not receive vaccinations, with no further information on their identity or gender disclosed.
FIRST MEASLES DEATH REPORTED IN WEST TEXAS AMID GROWING OUTBREAK
Since late January, there have been a total of 124 confirmed cases of measles linked to the outbreak in West Texas (as of February 25). The DSHS reported that the majority of those affected are children, and 18 individuals have been hospitalized due to the illness.
Measles cases are not confined to Texas alone, as similar reports have emerged from neighboring states.
MEASLES OUTBREAK CONTINUES TO WORSEN AMONG KIDS IN THIS US STATE
The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has acknowledged an outbreak of this highly contagious virus in Lea County, which borders Gaines County, Texas. As of February 25, the NMDOH confirmed nine cases in the county, consisting of four children ages 5 to 17 and five adults. Most of those infected were reported as unvaccinated.
Additionally, the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) has disclosed three confirmed cases of measles. The initial case was reported on February 14 in an unvaccinated individual who had recently traveled internationally and visited Englewood Hospital’s emergency department in Bergen County on February 9. The NJDOH stated, “The two secondary cases of measles identified were individuals who had close contact with the original case. These individuals have been quarantined to minimize any potential further exposures. All three individuals were unvaccinated.”
‘Wildly Contagious’
Dr. Marc Siegel, a senior medical analyst for Fox News, shared insights on the first measles-related death during a recent interview, attributing the spread of the disease in Texas and New Mexico to non-compliance with vaccination protocols. He pointed out that vaccination exemption rates have led to a decline in compliance, now below 85%. He emphasized that most cases are occurring among unvaccinated school-aged children.
“For herd immunity—protecting those who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons—we need a vaccination rate of around 95%,” Dr. Siegel noted. “Currently, Texas stands at 91%, and there are bills in the legislature aiming to increase vaccine exemptions.”
He warned that measles is “wildly contagious among unvaccinated individuals,” highlighting that the hospitalization rate for measles can be as high as one in five cases, according to CDC data. Dr. Siegel further explained that pneumonia can develop in one out of every 20 measles infections, which could clarify the recent death.
“Out of the 124 reported patients, 18 have been hospitalized, likely due to pneumonia,” he stated. “There are probably hundreds more cases that remain unreported.”
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Melissa Rudy is a senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be directed to [email protected].
