A second child has tragically died from measles in West Texas, bringing the death toll from the outbreak to three. The 8-year-old girl who passed away had not been vaccinated against the highly contagious disease. The outbreak, which began in January, has sickened more than 450 people across West Texas and has spread to neighboring states such as Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Kansas.
In the U.S. this year, there have been more than 600 diagnosed cases of measles, double the number from all of 2024. Before 2025, there had been no measles deaths in the U.S. since 2015. Despite the availability of a 97% effective vaccine developed in the 1960s, some individuals remain hesitant to vaccinate their children.
The outbreak coincided with the controversial nomination and confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known vaccine skeptic, to a health department position. Kennedy has promoted unproven and less effective measles treatments, creating confusion and misinformation around the disease.
Health officials stress the importance of vaccination to prevent unnecessary deaths from measles, with former FDA vaccine chief Peter Marks referring to the recent death as “the epitome of an absolute needless death.” Vaccination, starting as early as a year old, remains the best way to protect against measles and avoid future fatalities.
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