Second unvaccinated child with measles dies in United States. Here’s what to know
Three people have died from measles-related illnesses in the United States amid a growing outbreak with hundreds of cases in Texas
People stand outside a Mennonite church after a funeral for an eight-year-old girl who died of measles in Texas, US. Photo: The Texas Tribune via ReutersAn eight-year-old who was recently diagnosed with measles has died in the United States (US), the third in total since the highly contagious virus started spreading in West Texas in late January.
The number of measles cases is double that of all of 2024, with Texas reporting the majority – nearly 500. Two young elementary school-aged children – who were not vaccinated – died from measles-related illnesses near the outbreak’s epicentre in rural Texas. A third person died in New Mexico, an adult who was not vaccinated.
States with an active outbreak of measles – defined by three or more cases – include New Mexico, Kansas, Ohio and Oklahoma, and have seen the virus spread in under-vaccinated communities. The multi-state outbreak confirms health experts’ fears that the virus will take hold in communities with low vaccination rates and that the spread could stretch for a year.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said last week that cases in Mexico are linked to the Texas outbreak.
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What is measles?
Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that is airborne, spreading easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines and had been considered “eliminated” from the US since 2000. Hong Kong eliminated measles around 2016 but saw imported cases in 2019 and as recently as March of this year.
How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?
Texas’ outbreak began more than two months ago. State health officials said there were 59 new measles cases since Tuesday, bringing the total to 481 across 19 counties – with most cases in West Texas. More than 65 per cent of Texas’ cases are in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, under-vaccinated Mennonite community.
New Mexico announced six new cases Friday, bringing the state’s total to 54. State health officials say the cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based on genetic testing.
Thursday’s death in Texas was an eight-year-old child, according to US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. Health officials in Texas said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child’s doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A child died of measles in Texas in late February – Kennedy said aged six – and New Mexico reported its first measles-related death in an adult on March 6.
Are there cases in other states?
Kansas has 24 cases in six counties in the southwest part of the state as of Wednesday. Cases in Oklahoma remained steady Friday: eight confirmed and two probable cases. Measles has also been reported in 17 other states, including Alaska, California, Florida, New York and Washington state.
In the US, cases and outbreaks are generally traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates. In 2019, the US saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. So far, in 2025, the US Centres for Disease Control’s (CDC) count is 607.
How do I avoid measles?
The best way is to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between four and six years old. Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about weakening immunity, the CDC said.
What are the symptoms of measles?
Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash. The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet.
When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the CDC. Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.
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How can you treat measles?
There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to soothe symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.
Why do vaccination rates matter?
In communities with high vaccination rates – above 95 per cent – diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”
As of 2025, the two-dose measles vaccination coverage in Hong Kong has remained above 95 per cent.
But childhood vaccination rates have declined across the United States since the pandemic as more parents claim religious or personal conscience reasons to exempt their children from required jabs.