Second child dies as US battles worst measles outbreak in over 30 years

A second unvaccinated child has died from measles in Texas, as the United States confronts its worst outbreak of the disease in more than 30 years.

The school-aged child, with no underlying conditions, died from complications while hospitalised, according to the University Medical Center (UMC) Health System in Lubbock, a leading regional hospital and teaching institution.

The death follows another fatal pediatric case in Texas in February and an adult death in neighbouring New Mexico in early March. 

Nationwide, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 607 measles cases across 21 states this year, more than double the total for all of 2023. Texas has reported 481 cases, the highest statewide tally in decades.

"If this trend continues, we may surpass the 2019 outbreak -- the worst in nearly 30 years," Dr Peter Hotez, a leading vaccine expert at Baylor College of Medicine, told PTI. "And what's tragic is that these deaths are entirely preventable."  Measles remains one of the most contagious viruses globally, but it is vaccine-preventable. The CDC reports that 97% of current US cases are among unvaccinated individuals or those with unknown vaccine status.

"This is a global wake-up call," Hotez warned. "Even wealthy nations are not immune if vaccine misinformation and hesitancy are allowed to spread."  The US had declared measles eliminated in 2000, meaning there was no continuous transmission for over a year. But experts warn that ongoing outbreaks could put that status at risk.