RFK Downplays Texas Measles Outbreak After First Loss of life
Picture: Julio Cortez/AP Picture
Texas officers introduced Wednesday {that a} little one has died after contracting the measles, the primary fatality in an ongoing critical outbreak within the state and neighboring New Mexico over the previous few weeks.
This marks the primary loss of life from measles in the USA since 2015, when a girl in Washington State died after probably contracting the virus at a medical facility throughout an outbreak. Previous to that, the final measles-related loss of life of a kid was in 2003, per a report from the Facilities for Illness Management.
Additionally on Wednesday, Well being and Human Companies secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has a historical past of vaccine skepticism, stated throughout a Cupboard assembly that his division has been following the outbreak. However Kennedy claimed that there had been two deaths from the spate of instances, although there was no public affirmation of a further loss of life.
And regardless of the notable proven fact that anybody has died of measles in any respect, the HHS secretary additionally appeared to downplay the outbreak, noting that they aren’t unusual within the U.S. “There’ve been 4 measles outbreaks this yr. On this nation final yr, there have been 16. So it’s common. We’ve got measles outbreaks yearly,” he stated. The CDC confirms that there have been 16 measles outbreaks in 2024, categorized for instance of three or extra associated instances, in comparison with three up to now this yr. However final yr’s figures marked a major rise from the 4 reported outbreaks in 2023, after a quiescent post-pandemic interval. And outbreaks have clearly turn out to be extra frequent over the previous 15 years amid surging vaccine skepticism.
In a press launch, the Texas Division of State Well being Companies confirmed that the kid who died was hospitalized within the city of Lubbock final week and had examined optimistic for the measles. The company didn’t establish the kid however stated they have been college age and never vaccinated for the illness.
Texas first reported an outbreak of the measles within the state’s South Plains area earlier this month. Since late January, the DSHS has recognized 124 instances with a lot of the instances occurring amongst kids and youngsters. Per the company, 18 folks have been hospitalized in reference to the continuing outbreak. By comparability, there have been 285 confirmed instances of measles in the USA in 2024, in line with CDC statistics.
The outbreak appeared to originate in Gaines County, a rural area of Texas that has the majority of the recognized instances. In response to the Texas Tribune, the state’s vaccination charges have decreased for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic, whereas requests for spiritual exemptions from vaccines rose considerably from 45,900 in 2018 to 93,000 in 2024.
