RFK Jr says US measles outbreak is 'not unusual' after first death in a decade

A measles outbreak has occurred in West Texas, USA, with cases exceeding 120, and tragically resulting in the first measles-related death in the United States in a decade. The Texas Department of State Health Services reported the unfortunate passing of a "school-aged child" who was hospitalized in Lubbock, Texas.

According to official sources, the child had not received the measles vaccine. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that the last measles-related death in the United States occurred in 2015. Since early February, at least 124 individuals have been confirmed to have contracted measles across nine counties in West Texas.

Nearly all cases (101) involve patients aged 17 or younger, and with the exception of five individuals, the rest were unvaccinated. The outbreak is primarily concentrated in a religious community in Gaines County, where nearly 14% of school-aged children have received vaccine exemptions. Texas law allows for vaccine exemptions based on conscience, including religious beliefs.

Dr. Peter Hotez, director of the Vaccine Development Center at Baylor University, stated that the outbreak is likely to accelerate for some time. "This is a serious disease," Dr. Hotez said, adding, "Unfortunately, Texas is at the epicenter because we have a very aggressive anti-vaccine movement here."

The New Mexico Department of Health has warned that "due to the highly contagious nature of measles, it is likely that more cases will occur." CDC data shows that measles cases have also been identified in Alaska, California, Georgia, New Jersey, New York City, and Rhode Island. The widespread use of the measles vaccine led to the United States being declared to have eliminated measles in 2000, but with increasing vaccine hesitancy, fewer children are being vaccinated.

The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that measles is a highly contagious airborne virus that infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body. Measles spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes, and can lead to serious illness, complications, and even death. Measles can affect anyone, but it is most common in children. Symptoms include a red, blotchy rash, high fever, cough, and runny nose, typically appearing 7 to 14 days after exposure to the virus.