• A school-aged child in Lubbock, Texas, has died from measles, marking the first U.S. death from the disease in a decade. The child, who was not vaccinated, died amid a large outbreak in Texas and New Mexico.
• The outbreak has spread across multiple counties, with 124 confirmed cases, mostly among children, and at least 18 hospitalizations due to severe respiratory complications.
• Health officials attributed the rapid spread to low vaccination rates in Texas, particularly in rural communities, and have increased vaccination efforts to contain the outbreak.

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A school-aged child in Lubbock, Texas, has died from measles, marking the first U.S. death from the highly contagious disease in a decade, according to state health officials. The child, who was not vaccinated, died at a children’s hospital amid the largest measles outbreak in Texas in nearly 30 years.

Since January, the outbreak has spread across multiple counties in Texas and New Mexico, with 124 confirmed cases. Health officials warned that unvaccinated children remain most at risk, and the number of cases will likely to rise.

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How widespread is the outbreak?

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported that at least nine counties have confirmed measles cases. The cases primarily occurred in a rural Mennonite community near the New Mexico state line in Gaines County. The outbreak has since spread to other areas, with officials in New Mexico reporting additional cases.

Most cases involve children, causing at least 18 hospitalizations. Some patients required oxygen or intensive care due to severe respiratory complications.

How is the federal government responding?

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addressed the outbreak during a cabinet meeting. He downplayed its severity.

“We’re watching it. We put out a post on it yesterday and we’re going to continue to follow it,” Kennedy said, adding that measles outbreaks occur annually in the U.S.

Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, initially misstated the number of deaths. He said two people had died. His agency later corrected the statement, confirming just one death.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not yet publicly updated its records to reflect the fatality. However, it has provided laboratory and technical support to state health officials.

What symptoms are patients experiencing?

Measles is a highly contagious airborne virus that spreads through respiratory droplets. Symptoms include high fever, red watery eyes, nasal congestion, cough and a distinctive rash that starts on the face and spreads.

Doctors at Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock said some patients developed pneumonia and required breathing assistance. Others needed intubation, though officials declined to confirm how many due to patient privacy concerns.

Dr. Amy Thompson, CEO of Covenant Health, called the situation urgent.

“We have known that we have measles in our community, and we are now seeing a very serious consequence,” she said.

Why is Texas at the center of the outbreak?

Texas has some of the lowest vaccination rates in the country. State health officials attributed the outbreak’s rapid spread to a large number of unvaccinated children.

The outbreak started in a community with limited access to health care. In these areas, many families homeschool their children and do not routinely seek vaccinations.

In Gaines County, where the outbreak began, nearly 14% of school-aged children opted out of required vaccines last year.

Has measles been eliminated in the US?

Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. That means there was no continuous virus transmission for a year. However, outbreaks still occur due to declining vaccination rates and exposure to international travelers.

In 2024, the CDC reported 285 cases across 16 outbreaks, a sharp increase from 59 cases the previous year. The ongoing outbreak in Texas is the largest the state has experienced in decades.

What are officials doing to contain the virus?

Local health departments in Texas and New Mexico have increased efforts to vaccinate unprotected individuals. Free MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine clinics have opened in Lubbock.

Health officials have urged parents to ensure their children receive both doses of the vaccine. The vaccine is about 97% effective at preventing measles.

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What happens next?

Health experts predict the outbreak will continue to grow in the coming weeks, with more cases expected in under-vaccinated communities.

Federal health officials emphasized that vaccination remains the best defense against measles, which can lead to severe complications and death.

Texas health officials have not confirmed how the first person was exposed to the virus, and there is no evidence that early patients traveled outside the U.S. before becoming infected.

Meanwhile, neighboring states are monitoring for potential cases, and the CDC is expected to release an updated assessment of the outbreak in the coming days.