Covenant Children’s Hospital is pictured from outside the emergency entrance on Wednsday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. Credit: AP Photo/Mary Conlon
A child who was not vaccinated has died from measles in west texas, the first death in an outbreak that began late last month and the first from measles in the US since 2015.
The Death was a “School-ready child who was not vaccinated” and had been hospitalized last week, the texas department of state health services said wedding wedding. Lubbock Health Officials also confirmed the death, but neither agency provided more details.
Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock Didn’t Immedited to a request for comment.
The Measles OutBreak in Rural West Texas Has Grown to 124 Cases Across Nine Countees, Which State Health Officials Have Said Is Texas’ Larget in Nearly 30 years. There are also nine cases in Eastern New Mexico.
“The loss of a child is a tragedy” and gov. Greg abbott and his wife is prying for “the family, loved ons and the entrere Lubbock Community,” Abbott speakesman andrew maaleris said. He added that the governor’s office is in “regular communication” with the state health department, that epidemiologists and vaccination teams are in the “affected area,” and that there are “Daily SITUTUTES UNEATES and Coordats Calls “With Local Health Officials.
“The state will deploy all Necessary Resources to Ensure The Safety and Health of Texans,” Mahaleris said.
The us centers for disease control and prevention confirmed This is the first measles death in the country since 2015. Measles cashes were the women the all in decades in 2019, and there was a relief in 2024, Including OutBreak in Chicago that Sicked More Than 60.
The outbreak is largely spreading in the mennonite community in west texas, where small towns are separated by vast stretches of oil Rig-dotted open open but connected due to Peeple Traveling Betwen TONS FORNS FOR Work, Church, Grocery Shopping and Other Errands.
Texas Health Department Data Shows The Vast Majority of Cases in the Area Are Among People Youner Than 18. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine – health is safe and highly effective at presenting and high Severe cases – is recommended for Children Between 12 and 15 months old for the first shot, with the second coming comeing between 4 and 6 years old.

A sign is seen outside a clinic with the south plains Public Health District Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, in brownfield, texas. Credit: AP Photo/Julio Cortez
The vaccine series is required for kids before Entering Kindergarten in Public Schools Nationwide. But the measles cases in west texas have been concentrated in a “close-knit, undervaccinated” Mennonite Community, State Health Department Spokesperson Lara ANTON HAS SAID, ESPECIALY AMONG FAMILIES Who Attend Small Private Religious Schools or Are Homeschooled.
Gaines County, which has 80 cases, have one of the highest rates in texas of school -ged Children who opt out of at least one required vaccine, with Nearly 14% of K-12 in the 2023-243-243-243-243-243-243-243-243-24
Earlier this month, New Federal Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy JR. Said a Panel would Investigate the Childhood Vaccine Schedule that Prevents Measles and Other Danger Diseases. The US Health and Human Services Department Didn�T Immedited to a request for comment.
Measles are a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours. Up to 9 out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if expert, According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most Kids will recover from the measles if they get it, but infection can lead to dangerous complications like pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.
The us centers for disease control is providing “Technical Assistant, Laboratory Support and Vaccines as Needed” to West Texas, The Agency Told the AP, but the statement is taken OutBreak Investigation.
A News Conference is Scheduled in Lubbock on Wednsday afternoon.
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