Second child dies from measles amid Texas outbreak
A second child has died from measles in Texas, where an outbreak has sickened over 480 individuals. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited the state to support families and health officials amidst the growing crisis.
A second child has tragically died from measles in Texas as the state grapples with a growing outbreak of the disease. Since January, more than 480 people in Texas have contracted measles, leading to numerous hospitalizations and widespread concern. U.S.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited the affected area in Gaines County to comfort grieving families and support local health authorities in managing the outbreak. Kennedy, who has a history of vaccine skepticism, used his platform to stress the importance of the MMR vaccine in preventing the highly contagious disease.
Second measles-related death in Texas amid ongoing outbreak
After a second death was reported from a measles outbreak in Texas, The Texas Department of Health reported that the latest death comes after 480+ confirmed cases since January.
As the virus continues to spread, alarms have been raised about the number of hospitalizations, with the total now being 56.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. offers support to Texas families
The U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., visited the Gaines County community in Texas, to offer his help to the families of those who have been affected by the measles outbreak.
While Kennedy Jr. is well known by his controversial stance on vaccines, on Sunday he took to social media to highlight that the state health authorities are making everything they can to ensure everyone's safety. He reiterated that the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella), is still the most effective method of preventing the virus.
Nationwide measles cases and concerns
Texas is not the only state with a measles outbreak. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 607 confirmed cases of measles until Thursday in 21 states. Including:
- Alaska
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Vermont
- Washington.