Austin: A second unvaccinated child has died from measles in West Texas amid the ongoing outbreak.
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. arrived to offer condolences to grieving families.
He said he came quietly to support the affected communities during their time of sorrow.
The child’s funeral was scheduled for Sunday, according to a local obituary notice.
Kennedy confirmed that the CDC has deployed emergency teams to assist state health officials.
Rising Cases
Texas reported 481 measles cases linked to the current outbreak, as of Friday.
UMC Health in Lubbock said the deceased child had no known health conditions.
The child was hospitalized and treated for serious measles complications before passing.
The child had not received the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, officials confirmed.
Kennedy stressed the MMR vaccine is the best tool to stop measles from spreading.
Wider Spread
A Trump-era official said the child’s cause of death is still under full review.
CNN did not receive comments from the Texas Health Department or HHS on the matter.
A related photo shows a baby getting an MMR vaccine at a clinic in Lubbock.
West Texas is seeing a sharp rise in measles cases, particularly in children.
Over 150 confirmed cases and one death have been reported in Lubbock alone.
Multi-State Outbreak
Texas confirmed its first measles-related death back in February.
That death also involved an unvaccinated school-aged child during the same outbreak.
A separate death in New Mexico may be tied to the growing outbreak.
Measles cases have now spread across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and possibly Kansas.
The total outbreak count reached 569 cases across affected states by last Friday.
Unvaccinated Risk
Most cases in Texas are among unvaccinated children and teenagers, health data confirms.
In Gaines County, 66% of Texas’ measles cases have been reported so far.
Lubbock County accounts for about 7% of total measles cases in Texas.
UMC Health has launched drive-up measles screenings at its urgent care centers.
Efforts aim to detect new infections quickly and control community spread.
Regional Impact
New Mexico reported 54 confirmed measles cases as of Friday.
Oklahoma recorded 10 cases, including two classified as probable infections.
Kansas reported 24 cases, some of which may be outbreak-related, officials said.
Experts say the true number of cases may be higher than reported.
Many measles cases often go undiagnosed or unreported, especially in rural regions.
Health Concerns
Doctors are concerned that more children could face serious complications from measles.
Young children are especially vulnerable to hospitalizations due to measles.
Emergency pediatrician Dr. Christina Johns warned about increasing complications in young patients.
She said that more infections mean more kids at risk for serious illness.
The situation is being monitored closely by public health agencies nationwide.
Calls for Action
Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician, urged officials to push measles vaccination strongly.
“There’s no cure or benefit from measles—only risk,” Cassidy posted on social media.
He called for health leaders to speak clearly before more lives are lost.
Kennedy, however, has faced criticism for downplaying the outbreak’s severity.
Critics say his past anti-vaccine stance undermines public trust in vaccines.
Blame on Misinformation
Dr. Paul Offit criticized Kennedy’s weak response to the measles crisis.
Offit runs the Vaccine Education Center at Philadelphia Children’s Hospital.
He said measles returned because parents believed false anti-vaccine messages.
Offit blames Kennedy’s past statements for fueling fear and misinformation.
Experts say low vaccine rates allowed measles to resurface and spread widely.
