U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his arrival in West Texas following the death of a school-aged child who was hospitalized for measles complications, marking the second fatality linked to the ongoing outbreak in the state.
Kennedy shared his intention to support grieving families and the local community, stating on X, “My goal was to quietly console those affected and stand by the community during this tragic time.” The funeral for the latest victim was scheduled for Sunday afternoon, according to local sources.
In response to the crisis, the Department of Health and Human Services is working closely with Texas health authorities, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sending teams to assist with containment efforts.
As of Friday, the Texas Department of Health reported 481 measles cases tied to the outbreak.
“We are heartbroken to report the death of a school-aged child, who had been receiving treatment for measles-related complications at a local hospital,” said Aaron Davis, Vice President of UMC Health System in Lubbock, Texas, in a statement to us. “The child was unvaccinated and had no known underlying health issues.”
Kennedy stressed that the most effective measure to prevent the spread of measles remains the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, urging further vaccination efforts.
The cause of death is still under investigation, according to a Trump administration official speaking to The New York Times.
The first death linked to the outbreak occurred earlier in February, also involving an unvaccinated school-aged child. A death in New Mexico is also under investigation.
The outbreak, which spans across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and possibly Kansas, has resulted in at least 569 reported cases as of Friday, according to state health department data. Texas alone has seen the majority of cases, particularly in unvaccinated individuals, with children and teenagers making up 70% of those infected. The highest concentration of cases is in Gaines County, which accounts for nearly two-thirds of the total cases in the state.
In response, UMC Health in Lubbock County has begun offering drive-up measles screenings at its urgent care centers. Lubbock County represents nearly 7% of Texas’ confirmed cases.
New Mexico has reported 54 measles cases, while Oklahoma has reported 10, including 8 confirmed and 2 probable. Kansas has seen 24 cases linked to the outbreak, according to its state health department.
The majority of the reported cases are among unvaccinated individuals, and experts are concerned that the official count may be an underrepresentation, with many cases going unreported.
Given that most reported cases involve children, experts warn that the number of hospitalizations is likely to rise, particularly among younger children who are more vulnerable to severe complications from the disease.
“The more children who contract measles, the higher the likelihood that we will see more children suffering from serious complications,” stated Dr. Christina Johns, a pediatric emergency physician at PM Pediatrics in Annapolis, Maryland.
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician, called on top health officials to address the outbreak urgently. “Everyone should get vaccinated! There’s no treatment for measles, and there’s no benefit to contracting it. Health officials should make this clear before another child dies,” he wrote on X.
Kennedy’s handling of the outbreak has faced criticism, with many pointing to his history of downplaying vaccine risks. Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, described Kennedy’s response as inadequate.
“The resurgence of measles is a direct result of a significant number of parents choosing not to vaccinate their children, largely due to misinformation spread by individuals like RFK Jr.,” Offit said.
