Unvaccinated Children Die of Measles in Texas...Concerned about the first measles death in 10 years ↑
Feb 27, 2025
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Unvaccinated school-age children have died, according to health officials in northwestern Texas on the 26th (local time). It is the first time in a decade that measles deaths have occurred in the United States since 2015.
Measles, which is mainly transmitted through droplets, is highly contagious and causes symptoms such as rash, fever, and cough. Severe cases can lead to complications such as blindness, pneumonia, and encephalitis, and children are particularly vulnerable. Vaccination with measles-magnitude-rubella (MMR) vaccine is the most effective in preventing measles.
Local media reported that concerns about public health are growing due to the recent drop in the vaccination rate for children and the measles death of Robert Kennedy Jr., known as the 'vaccine skeptic', to the post of health and welfare minister.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), measles outbreaks have been reported in eight regions this year, including Alaska, California, Georgia, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, and Texas.
According to Texas health authorities, which have the most severe spread, a total of 124 measles cases have been confirmed in Texas since late last month until the day before. As for the age group of patients, 62 children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 were the most, 39 infants aged 0 to 4 and 18 years or older. Of these patients, only five (4%) were vaccinated, and the remaining (96%) were not vaccinated or their vaccination status was not determined. Most of Texas' measles patients are children, and the virus is known to have spread intensively in the Menopa (a branch of Christianity) community in rural villages where they live closely connected to each other and have low vaccination rates. Gaines County, adjacent to the dead city of Lubuxi and with 80 cases, is an active home-schooling and private school community, with nearly 14% of school-age children refusing to get the mandatory vaccine last school year. U.S. public elementary schools are only allowed to enter after completing mandatory vaccinations.
Meanwhile, Secretary Kennedy Jr. responded to a reporter's question about the measles deaths at the Trump administration's first ministerial meeting on the same day. "We are monitoring the measles epidemic every day"However, it did not mention the distribution of measles vaccines or the measures the federal government can take to prevent the outbreak.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
