Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes the untrue claim that measles outbreaks occur “every year” when Texas records its first measles fatality since 2015

Health Officials Call for Vaccination After Texas Measles Outbreak Causes First U.S. Death Since 2015.

State health officials announced Wednesday that the first measles death in the United States in almost ten years had been caused by an expanding outbreak in rural West Texas. An unfortunate turning point in what has grown to be Texas’ biggest measles outbreak in almost three decades was reached when the victim, a school-aged youngster who had not received a vaccination, passed away following hospitalization.

Health experts are concerned about the recurrence of the highly contagious yet avoidable illness, since at least 124 cases have been documented across nine counties since the outbreak started last month. Measles, which is transmitted by respiratory droplets, can cause serious side effects such pneumonia, edema in the brain, and in rare instances, even death.

“We have measles outbreaks every year,” Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told reporters, downplaying worries despite the outbreak’s severity. This claim is untrue since, as a result of vaccination campaigns, measles outbreaks have been uncommon in the United States since the disease was deemed eradicated in 2000. In 2015, the nation’s final recorded measles-related fatality took place.

The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is 97% effective at preventing measles, and public health officials are advising parents to make sure their kids get it. Declining vaccination rates are thought to have contributed to the outbreak in Texas by making more children and communities susceptible to diseases that may be prevented.

Hospitals in impacted counties are attempting to isolate sick patients and stop the spread of the disease, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has dispatched teams to help Texas health authorities manage the outbreak.

Officials caution that vaccine hesitation and disinformation could cause additional outbreaks nationwide, endangering unnecessary lives as measles cases continue to climb.