Measles Claims Life in West Texas Amid Growing Outbreak

The first measles death has been reported in West Texas amid a growing outbreak that has already infected over 100 people. Melissa Whitfield, a spokesperson for Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, confirmed the unfortunate news. Details about the patient's identity and age have not been released. Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock has yet to comment. As of Tuesday, the Texas outbreak has spread to 124 individuals across nine counties, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Cases are also emerging in New Mexico, with nine confirmed so far. The DSHS initially confirmed the outbreak on February 5. The agency emphasizes that the most effective way to prevent measles is through vaccination, specifically two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Fox News' senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel points to declining vaccination compliance as a major factor in the outbreak's spread. Siegel notes that high exemption rates for childhood vaccines, now below 85%, are largely to blame, with the majority of cases occurring in unvaccinated, mostly school-aged children. "Keep in mind that for herd immunity, we need a vaccination rate of around 95%," he stated. "In Texas, it is currently at 91%, and more bills for further exemptions are before the state legislature." Dr. Siegel stressed that measles is highly contagious among unvaccinated people, with a hospitalization rate of one in five, according to CDC data. Pneumonia, a complication in one out of every 20 measles cases, may have contributed to the recent death. "Of the 124 patients so far, there are 18 hospitalizations, probably most from pneumonia," he added. "There are likely hundreds more cases that are not being reported." This is a developing story, and honestly, it's a little scary how quickly this is spreading.