The first measles death has been reported in West Texas amid the outbreak that has infected more than 100 people, Associated Press reported on Wednesday morning.
Melissa Whitfield, a spokesperson for Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center confirmed the death to AP.
MEASLES OUTBREAK CONTINUES TO WORSEN AMONG KIDS IN THIS US STATE
The patient’s identity and age were not shared.
Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AP.
As of Tuesday, the Texas outbreak had affected 124 people across nine counties, according to a statement from the Texas Department of State Health Services. (iStock)
As of Tuesday, the Texas outbreak had affected 124 people across nine counties, according to a statement from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
Cases have also been spreading to New Mexico, with a total of nine confirmed in that state so far.
The DSHS first confirmed the outbreak on Feb. 5.
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The agency added that the best way to prevent sickness is to receive two doses of the vaccine against measles, “primarily administered” as the combination measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization.
A vial containing the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is sitting on top of an ice pack. (Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel weighed in on the first measles death, citing vaccination non-compliance as the likely reason that the disease is spreading through Texas and now into New Mexico.
Siegel suggested that high exemption rates for childhood vaccines, which are now under 85% compliance, are to blame. The majority of cases have occurred in unvaccinated individuals, mostly school-aged children.
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“Keep in mind that for herd immunity (where those who cannot be vaccinated because they are pregnant or immunocompromised and can’t take a live vaccine are protected), we need a vaccination rate of around 95%,” he told Fox News Digital.
“In Texas, it is currently at 91%, and more bills for further exemptions are before the state legislature.”
Measles is “wildly contagious among unvaccinated individuals,” a doctor cautioned. (iStock)
The doctor stressed that measles is “wildly contagious among unvaccinated individuals” and that the hospitalization rate is one in five, according to CDC data.
As pneumonia can occur in one out of every 20 measles cases, Siegel said this could explain the recent measles death.
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“Of the 124 patients so far, there are 18 hospitalizations, probably most from pneumonia,” he shared. “There are likely hundreds more cases that are not being reported.”
This is a developing story.
