LUBBOCK, Texas — The Texas Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed the death of a second child with measles in Lubbock, according to reports from The New York Times and NBC News.
The New York Times said an 8-year-old girl died Thursday morning of “measles pulmonary failure.” The child’s vaccination status was not immediately clear. National reports said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was expected to attend the child’s funeral on Sunday.
This marks the second death in the Texas measles outbreak. In late February, officials confirmed an unvaccinated school-aged child passed away due to the measles. The child did not have known underlying health conditions, officials confirmed. An adult in New Mexico was also suspected of passing away due to measles.
In Friday’s update, DSHS reported 481 cases in the ongoing outbreak. Lubbock had about 33 cases, which included at least six kids from a local daycare who tested positive for measles. EverythingLubbock.com has reached out to DSHS for additional information about the measles death. Check back for updates.
Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads through the air and can linger for hours when an infected person coughs or sneezes, officials said. According to health officials, symptoms start with fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, followed by a rash that spreads across the body. Health officials said measles can lead to dangerous complications like pneumonia, brain swelling and even death, especially for young unvaccinated or immunocompromised children.
It can take the body about 14 days to develop immunity to measles after vaccination. DSHS said People are not considered fully vaccinated until those 14 days have passed. For more information about where to get the measles vaccine on the South Plains, click here.
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