Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Apr 7: The United States has reported its third death related to a rapidly growing measles outbreak, with the latest fatality involving a school-aged child in West Texas. This marks the second child death in Texas and the third nationwide since the outbreak began in January.
US Health and Human Services secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr visited West Texas following the tragedy, stating that he came "quietly to console the families and to be with the community in their moment of grief."
The health department has since deployed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) teams to assist state officials in curbing the outbreak. "The MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine is the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles," Kennedy added in a Sunday statement.
The Texas Department of Health has confirmed 481 outbreak-linked cases as of Friday, with the national count rising to at least 569 cases spread across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and possibly Kansas.
In a statement released by UMC Health System in Lubbock, vice president Aaron Davis expressed deep sorrow over the child's death. He confirmed that the child had not been vaccinated and had no known underlying health conditions.
Texas' first measles fatality this year occurred in February, also involving an unvaccinated child. Another suspected measles-linked death in New Mexico remains under investigation.
Nearly 70 per cent of cases in Texas involve children and teenagers, with the majority reported among unvaccinated individuals. Gaines County accounts for two-thirds of Texas’ cases, followed by Lubbock County. UMC Health has begun offering drive-up measles screenings at its urgent care centres to help contain the spread.
New Mexico has reported 54 cases, Oklahoma 10, and Kansas 24 cases that may be connected to the outbreak. Health experts believe the real number could be higher due to underreporting and vaccine hesitancy.
Medical authorities warn that the high rate of pediatric infections could result in a surge of hospitalisations, particularly among younger children who are at greater risk of severe complications.
US Senator and physician Bill Cassidy has urged urgent federal intervention. “Everyone should be vaccinated! There is no treatment for measles. No benefit to getting measles. Top health officials should say so unequivocally before another child dies,” he said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, secretary Kennedy has come under sharp criticism from health experts. Dr Paul Offit, head of the Vaccine Education Center at the Philadelphia Children's Hospital, blamed Kennedy for contributing to vaccine misinformation.
"The disease has returned because a critical percentage of parents have chosen not to vaccinate their children, in large part due to misinformation provided by people like RFK Jr," Dr Offit stated.
Kennedy, known for his controversial stance on vaccines, is now facing mounting backlash as the country deals with one of its worst measles outbreaks in recent years.