A second youngster with measles has died in Texas, state officers mentioned on Sunday (Apr 6), in an outbreak of the childhood illness that has resulted in practically 500 instances in Texas and has unfold throughout 22 states.
The varsity-aged youngster, who was unvaccinated and had no underlying well being situations, died on Thursday within the hospital from measles pulmonary failure, the Texas Division of State Well being Companies mentioned.
“The kid was receiving remedy for issues of measles whereas hospitalized,” Aaron Davis, a spokesperson for UMC Well being System in Lubbock, Texas, mentioned in an e mail.
It’s the second loss of life of a kid in Texas because the measles outbreak started in late January.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, in a put up on X, recognized the kid as 8-year-old Daisy Hildebrand.
Kennedy, who has been an anti-vaccine advocate and beforehand has mentioned vaccination is a private selection, on Sunday mentioned vaccines are the most effective safety towards measles.
“The simplest method to forestall the unfold of measles is the MMR vaccine,” he mentioned within the put up on X. He mentioned that as of Sunday there are 642 confirmed instances of measles, 499 of these in Texas.
Kennedy mentioned in his put up that he visited Texas to consolation the Hildebrand household after their daughter’s loss of life. He added that he acquired to know the household of the primary youngster in Texas to die within the measles outbreak, Kayley Fehr, “after she handed away in February.”
