Texas is facing its worst measles outbreak in nearly 30 years, and the situation is becoming more dire by the day.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has reportedly confirmed that two people have died due to complications from measles in West Texas.
This alarming revelation came during one of President Trump’s cabinet meetings, where Kennedy mentioned that he is “watching it every day.”
Just hours earlier, officials confirmed the first measles-related death in Texas in over a decade.
The victim was a school-aged child from Gaines County who had not been vaccinated and had been hospitalized in Lubbock.
The Texas Department of State Health Services has since been closely monitoring the outbreak, which is rapidly spreading.
Measles Cases on the Rise
As of February 25, at least 124 measles cases have been confirmed, with 18 people requiring hospitalization.
The majority of cases—62—are among children aged five to 17, while 39 are in toddlers four years and younger.
Alarmingly, only five of the infected individuals had received the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, highlighting the significant risk posed by a lack of immunization.
This is the first measles-related death in the United States since 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Danger of Measles
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that spreads through direct contact with infected droplets or through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or even breathes.
The disease causes severe flu-like symptoms, including high fever, tiny white spots inside the mouth, and a red rash that spreads from the neck to the rest of the body.
In extreme cases, it can lead to complications like pneumonia, encephalitis (brain swelling), and even death.
Unvaccinated Communities at Risk
The outbreak has been largely concentrated in a “close-knit, under-vaccinated” Mennonite community in Texas, a group that has historically shown hesitancy toward vaccines.
The virus has also spread beyond state lines into New Mexico, where nine cases have been confirmed.
Gaines County, the epicenter of the outbreak, has reported 80 confirmed cases.
Neighboring counties are also seeing a rise, with Terry County reporting 21 cases, Dawson County seven, Yoakum County five, Martin County three, and both Ector and Lubbock counties reporting two cases each.
With a population of just over 21,000, Gaines County has one of the highest vaccine exemption rates in Texas. All confirmed cases in the area involve unvaccinated individuals.
Falling Vaccination Rates and the Risk to Public Health
The MMR vaccine is 97% effective at preventing measles and is required for school enrollment in most states.
However, Texas allows exemptions for religious reasons.
Nationwide, vaccine exemptions have been rising steadily—from 0.76% in 2014 to 3.3% during the 2023-2024 school year.
According to the CDC, overall vaccination coverage among kindergarteners dropped to 93% in 2024.
Texas reports an even lower rate at 91%, falling short of the 94% threshold needed for herd immunity.
Medical Experts Warn the Worst is Yet to Come
Dr. Lara Johnson, a pediatrician at Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock, was among the first to diagnose a measles case in her community a month ago.
She believes the outbreak is far from over, warning that “we’re going to see a lot more illness among unvaccinated kids over the next few months.”
Dr. Johnson has observed that most young patients require hospitalization due to severe breathing difficulties and dangerously high fevers.
She advises parents to keep vulnerable children away from crowded places, including grocery stores, to minimize exposure.
What Parents Need to Know
For parents of vaccinated children, there is little cause for concern, as they are “very unlikely” to contract the virus, according to Dr. Johnson.
However, for unvaccinated children, a rash that begins on the face is often the first clear sign of infection.
She also emphasizes that it is not too late to get vaccinated, even after exposure.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases, capable of spreading from one infected person to 12-18 others in an unvaccinated population.
Health officials continue to urge parents to vaccinate their children and take extra precautions to prevent further spread of the virus.