A measles outbreak in Texas, USA, has claimed its first life: a child in the west of the state. It is the first measles-related death in the United States in a decade. The news of this preventable death has prompted health officials to urge parents to ensure their children are protected through vaccination.
- At least 150 measles cases have been recorded in Texas
- Outbreak started in Mennonite community where vaccination rates are low
- Texas has seen a decline in vaccination rates and is vulnerable to an epidemic
- US Health Secretary, RFK junior, has encouraged parents to seek vaccination
Measles is among the most contagious viruses in the world. In the absence of immunity, an infected child will spread the virus to between 16 and 18 others.
Many measles cases are mild and the vast majority of those affected will make a full recovery. However, US authorities say one in five people (20%) who contracted measles during the current outbreak have been hospitalised.
Death rates vary during measles outbreaks, but can be around three per thousand cases. In addition, between four and eleven cases per thousand result in complications, such as the irreversible brain damage caused by SSPE.
(Read a father’s story of how his son developed this condition which, eventually but invariably, results in death.)
Given these risks, and the availability of a very well-established vaccine, health officials in Texas are pleading with the public not to attend measles parties – informal gatherings at which children are deliberately exposed to an infected child.
The US Secretary for Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy junior, wrote an opinion piece for Fox News last week in which he said the MMR vaccine (against measles, mumps and rubella) is ‘crucial’ for avoiding this potentially deadly disease.
He said there was a shared responsibility to ensure ‘that accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy is disseminated’. He also tasked his officials with ensuring community engagement to understand people’s concerns so that they can provide culturally competent education, and he said vaccines should be readily accessible to all who want them.
Mr Kennedy said the decision to vaccinate is a personal one, and that parents should consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine. ‘Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons,’ he wrote.
Measles symptoms
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can be contracted at any age. It is significantly more infectious than, for example, COVID-19. It can lead to complications and even death. Measles symptoms usually appear after 10-12 days of infection:
- Initial symptoms resemble a cold with a runny nose, cough and a mild fever;
- Eyes become red and sensitive to light;
- On the third to seventh day, the temperature may reach up to 41 ⁰C;
- A red rash begins on the face and then spreads over the entire body;
- Small white spots may also appear on the gums and the inside of the cheeks.
