Cliff Notes
- A second child in Texas has died from measles, with the outbreak in the state reaching nearly 500 reported cases, primarily among unvaccinated individuals.
- The fatalities mark the first deaths from measles in the US in a decade, raising alarm over vaccination rates in affected areas.
- US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has emphasised the importance of vaccination in preventing the spread of this highly contagious virus.
Texas: Second child with measles dies as US outbreak spreads
A second child in Texas with measles has died as the outbreak of the childhood disease reached nearly 500 cases in the state, officials have said.
The unvaccinated schoolgirl, who had no underlying health conditions, died on Thursday in hospital from measles pulmonary failure, the Texas Department of State Health Services said.
She was being treated for complications from the illness, a spokesperson for University Medical Center Children’s Hospital in Lubbock said in an email.
The girl was recently diagnosed with the viral disease, NBC, Sky’s US partner said, quoting from the hospital’s statement issued on Sunday.
Two children have now died in Texas since an outbreak of measles in late January in Gaines County, where the vaccination rate is about 82%, below the 95% believed to ensure those who cannot be vaccinated are safe.
An adult in New Mexico is also suspected of having died from measles, NBC said, calling the deaths the first from the disease in the US for 10 years.
US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, said that, if the outbreak continues, his administration will “have to take action very strongly”.
How to avoid spreading or catching measles
Measles is spread when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes.
A rash usually appears a few days after the cold-like symptoms. The rash starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.
A person is infectious from when they first have symptoms (around four days before the rash appears) until four days after they get the rash.
There are things people can do to reduce the risk of spreading or catching measles.
Do: Wash hands often with soap and warm water. Use tissues when coughing or sneezing. Throw used tissues in the bin.
Don’t: Do not share cutlery, cups, towels, clothes, or bedding.
Information from NHS website
US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, identified the child as eight-year-old Daisy Hildebrand and said he visited Texas on Sunday to comfort the child’s family.
Pictures were published of him at the girl’s funeral in Seminole, northwest Texas.
In a post on X, Mr Kennedy, a vaccine sceptic who says it should be a personal choice, said vaccines are nonetheless the best protection against the illness.
He said the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine is “the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles”, confirming that, as of Sunday, there were 642 confirmed cases of measles in the US, 499 of those in Texas.