A second school-aged child in West Texas has died due to complications related to measles, according to a hospital spokesperson. The child was hospitalized at UMC Health System in Lubbock and was unvaccinated. The hospital did not disclose the specific date of the child's death.

This latest death was not reported in the measles updates released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the Texas State Department of State Health Services on the preceding Friday. Inquiries made to representatives from both health departments went unanswered over the weekend.

This incident follows the death of another unvaccinated school-age child in February in Lubbock, which marked the first measles-related death in the U.S. in a decade. Following that, an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico, who also did not seek medical attention, became the second measles-related fatality in early March.

The ongoing measles outbreak, which is believed to have spread from West Texas to New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas, has affected nearly 570 individuals. Additionally, the World Health Organization reported cases linked to the Texas outbreak in Mexico. Between March 28 and April 4, the number of cases in Texas surged by 81, with an additional 16 hospitalizations. The CDC has deployed a team to assist with the response to the outbreak.

Nationwide, the United States has reported more than double the number of measles cases seen throughout the entire year of 2024. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a noted anti-vaccine activist, has made statements regarding the importance of vaccination against measles, albeit while casting doubt on the vaccine's safety. He is set to embark on a "Make America Healthy Again" tour across the southwestern U.S. this week.

The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine has been safely administered for over six decades and is 97% effective against measles after two doses. Dr. Peter Marks, the former vaccine chief at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), attributed responsibility for the recent deaths to Kennedy and his team, remarking that vaccination is crucial in preventing measles-related fatalities. He emphasized that these deaths are unnecessary and that swift action is required to mitigate this public health crisis.

As experts and local health officials project that the outbreak could persist for several more months, if not a year, they underline that the majority of cases in West Texas involve unvaccinated individuals and children younger than 17. Concerns are mounting that ongoing measles outbreaks may threaten the U.S. reputation for having eliminated the disease.

Measles, a respiratory virus, can linger in the air for up to two hours, and is highly contagious; approximately 9 out of 10 susceptible individuals will contract the virus if exposed. The CDC recommends the first dose of the MMR vaccine for children aged 12 to 15 months and the second dose for those aged 4 to 6 years.

In conclusion, the tragic emergence of two measles-related deaths among unvaccinated individuals underscores the critical necessity for vaccination. As health officials work to contain the outbreak, the discussions surrounding vaccine safety and efficacy will likely remain at the forefront of public dialogue.