US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has arrived in West Texas following the death of a school-aged child from measles, marking the second child to die in the state due to the ongoing outbreak. Kennedy expressed his intent to console the families and support the community. The child who died had not been vaccinated against measles and had no known underlying health conditions. The measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles.
Texas has reported 481 outbreak-associated cases of measles as of Friday, with nearly all cases in unvaccinated individuals. Several states, including New Mexico and Oklahoma, have reported cases linked to the outbreak. With most cases among minors, health officials are concerned about increasing hospitalizations and complications from measles.
Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician, emphasized the importance of vaccination to prevent measles and called on health officials to address the outbreak. Dr. Paul Offit criticized Kennedy’s response, citing his history of anti-vaccine views. Kennedy has faced backlash for downplaying the severity of the outbreak and spreading misinformation.
HHS is working with Texas health officials to combat the measles outbreak and has deployed teams from the CDC to the area. The outbreak has affected multiple states and led to dozens of cases, with experts warning that many cases go unreported. With measles making a comeback due to low vaccination rates, health officials stress the importance of vaccination to prevent further deaths and complications from the disease.
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