Texas Reports First Measles Death in Nearly a Decade as Cases Surge Across the State

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — A child who wasn’t vaccinated died in a measles outbreak in rural West Texas, state officials said Wednesday. This marks the first U.S. death from the highly contagious but preventable respiratory disease since 2015.

The school-aged child had been hospitalized and died Tuesday night amid the widespread outbreak, Texas’ largest in nearly 30 years. Since it began last month, a rash of 124 cases has erupted across nine counties.

The Texas Department of State Health Services and Lubbock health officials confirmed the death. The child, who was treated at Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock, did not reside in Lubbock County.

“This is a big deal,” said Dr. Amy Thompson, a pediatrician and chief executive officer of Covenant Health. “We have known that we have measles in our community, and we are now seeing a very serious consequence.”

Federal Response and RFK Jr.'s Statements

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s top health official and a vaccine critic, stated Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is monitoring cases but downplayed the Texas outbreak as “not unusual.”

He appeared to misstate facts, including a claim that most hospitalizations were only for “quarantine.” Dr. Lara Johnson at Covenant contested this characterization.

“We don’t hospitalize patients for quarantine purposes,” said Dr. Johnson, the chief medical officer.

Kennedy also inaccurately suggested that two people had died from measles. A spokesman later clarified that the CDC has identified only one death.

Severity of Cases in Rural Texas

The virus has spread largely among rural, oil rig-dotted towns in West Texas, concentrated in a “close-knit, undervaccinated” Mennonite community, according to the state health department.

Gaines County, with 80 reported cases, has a strong homeschooling and private school presence. Nearly 14% of school-aged children in the area skipped at least one required vaccine dose last year.

More than 20 measles patients have been hospitalized at Covenant, including the outbreak’s first identified case. Some developed bacterial pneumonia and required oxygen support or intubation.

“Unfortunately, like so many viruses, there aren’t any specific treatments for measles,” said Dr. Johnson. “We’re providing supportive care to help patients recover.”

Texas Government Response

Governor Greg Abbott’s office is in regular communication with state health officials. Vaccination teams are being deployed in affected areas.

“The state will deploy all necessary resources to ensure the safety and health of Texans,” said Abbott’s spokesman, Andrew Mahaleris, calling the child’s death a tragedy.

Later Wednesday, a new measles case was confirmed in Rockwall County, east of Dallas. This case is unrelated to the West Texas outbreak.

Measles Vaccines and Declining Immunization Rates

The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and highly effective. The first dose is recommended for children at 12 to 15 months, with a second dose at 4 to 6 years.

Despite its effectiveness, vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic. Most states are now below the 95% threshold needed to prevent outbreaks.

Last week, Kennedy vowed to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule, which includes protections against measles, polio, and other diseases, despite previously promising not to change it during confirmation hearings.

Rapid Spread of Measles in Lubbock

Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, meaning it had stopped spreading continuously for over a year. However, cases have been rising, including a Chicago outbreak that sickened more than 60 people in 2024.

The first Lubbock case was an unvaccinated child who contracted the virus after sitting in an emergency room near another infected individual.

“When you see it in real life, you really realize how contagious it is,” said Katherine Wells, director of Lubbock’s health department. “An entire household gets sick so quickly. Whole families are getting sick with measles.”