A child hospitalized with measles in West Texas has died from the illness, marking the first death in a growing outbreak that began in the state last month and has infected more than 120 people. On Wednesday, health officials said the patient was an unvaccinated school-aged child who died in the last 24 hours, according to the Texas Department of Health Services..
Measles cases have recently exploded in Texas, growing to 124 across nine counties, according to the latest update from the DSHS released on Tuesday. The cases increased from 34 last week. State health officials have said this outbreak is Texas’ largest in decades. As cases have continued to grow, some schools have shuttered in response.
Most of Texas’ measles cases are in Gaines County (80), where the outbreak began in the local Mennonite community. Cases have also been reported in Terry, Dallam, Dawson, Ector, Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, Terry, and Yoakum counties. The majority are between the ages 5-17 years. Per the DSHS, 18 of the patients have been hospitalized. Five of the cases are vaccinated, while the rest are unvaccinated, or their vaccination status is unknown.
This week, DSHS officials warned a person with measles traveled from the outbreak area to San Marcos and San Antonio before they knew they were infected. Exposures may have occurred at several public locations in South Central Texas during their trip, including at Texas State University, a Twin Peaks restaurant in San Marcos, and a Buc-ee’s located in New Braunfels.
A measles outbreak is also occurring in neighboring New Mexico, with cases growing to nine as of Tuesday.
