Department of Health, Human Services and Human Services (HHS) Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited Texas on Sunday after reporting a second measles-related death in a school-age child who has not been vaccinated.
The child, who had no underlying conditions, died Thursday of measles lung failure at a local hospital, according to the Texas Department of Health.
This marks the second measles death in Texas amid an ongoing outbreak that has infected hundreds of people throughout the state. It was first reported in February that school-age children who were not vaccinated were involved.
Kennedy said he had visited Gaines County to comfort both the eight- and six-year-olds of deceased families, and to learn how federal agencies can better support Texas health officials in managing the outbreak.
“My intention was to come quietly here to comfort my family and be with the community in moments of sadness,” he said on social media platform X.
According to the HHS secretary, 642 measles have been confirmed in 22 states, with 499 reported cases in Texas, with 499 reported cases.
Kennedy said he deployed a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) team in Texas last month to help strengthen the outbreak response statewide, including supplying measles, mumps, Revera (MMR) vaccines and other medical supplies to measles and national clinics.
“Since then, the growth rate for new cases and hospitalizations has been flattened,” he said. “The most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is with the MMR vaccine.”
Kennedy also said he spoke with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to provide his continued support.
“As he requested, we have relocated the CDC team to Texas. We will continue to chase the Texas lead and provide similar resources to other affected jurisdictions,” he said.
The Texas Department of Health said as of April 4, the state had detected 481 confirmed measles cases during the outbreak since late January, and 56 patients had been hospitalized. Most cases involved children.
Measles is a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours, and according to the CDC, it can become infected when exposed to 9 in 10 susceptible people.
It is a contagious disease that can cause symptoms such as high fever and rashes. A small number of cases will die. The outbreak of measles has spread to 22 states this year, including Texas, New Mexico, California, Colorado and Florida.
A New Mexico adult who contracted measles last month died, and the cause of death is still under investigation. According to the state health department, individuals who are resident of Lee County were not vaccinated and did not seek medical care before they passed.
Having long sought increased scrutiny over vaccine safety and efficacy, Kennedy offered a similar position in the March operation as the number of measles cases in the US increased.
“All parents need to consult with their health care provider to understand their options for getting the MMR vaccine,” Kennedy wrote in an editorial published March 2nd in Fox News.
“The decision to receive vaccinations is personal. The vaccine not only protects individual children from measles, but also contributes to community immunity and protects those who are unable to receive the vaccine for medical reasons.”
Kennedy previously noted that the MMR vaccine does not contain the mercury-based preservative thimeromonal, which is used in many other vaccines.
The CDC recommends that children between the ages 12 months and 12 years get two doses of MMR vaccines. This prevents the virus from being infected.
MMR vaccines are usually given in a two-dose series, with the first dose being advised when the child turns 1 year old. The CDC said one dose is 94% effective, and two doses are 97% effective. Side effects of vaccines include fever and nervous system disorders.
Zachary Stieber and Jacob Burg contributed to this report.
From the Epoch era
