The measles disaster in West Texas has claimed the lifetime of one other youngster, the second demise in an outbreak that has burned by means of the area and contaminated dozens of residents in bordering states.
The 8-year-old lady died early Thursday morning of “measles pulmonary failure” at a hospital in Lubbock, Texas, in keeping with data obtained by The New York Occasions. It’s the second confirmed measles demise in a decade in the US.
The hospital, UMC Well being System, stated on Sunday that the lady was unvaccinated and had no underlying well being circumstances.
The primary casualty within the West Texas outbreak was an unvaccinated child who died in February. One other unvaccinated particular person died in New Mexico after testing optimistic for measles, although officers haven’t but confirmed that measles was the reason for demise.
Since late January, when the outbreak started, West Texas has reported 480 circumstances of measles and 56 hospitalizations. The outbreak has additionally unfold to bordering states, sickening 54 folks in New Mexico and 10 in Oklahoma.
If the virus continues to unfold at this tempo, the nation dangers shedding its measles elimination standing, a hard-fought victory earned in 2000. Public well being officers in West Texas have predicted the outbreak will continue for a year.
Robert F. Kennedy, the nation’s well being secretary, has confronted intense criticism for his dealing with of the outbreak. A distinguished vaccine skeptic, he has provided muted support for vaccination and has emphasized untested treatments for measles, like cod liver oil.
In accordance with medical doctors in Texas, Mr. Kennedy’s endorsement of different therapies has contributed to sufferers delaying vital care and ingesting toxic levels of vitamin A.
Consultants additionally worry that the Trump administration’s current selections to dismantle worldwide public well being safeguards and pull funding from native well being departments have made large, multistate outbreaks more likely.
Measles is among the most contagious pathogens. The virus can linger within the air for as much as two hours after an contaminated particular person has left the room and spreads when a sick particular person breathes, coughs or sneezes.
Inside per week or two of being uncovered, those that are contaminated could develop a excessive fever, cough, runny nostril and pink, watery eyes. Inside just a few days, a telltale rash breaks out as flat, pink spots on the face after which spreads down the neck and torso to the remainder of the physique.
Normally, these signs resolve in just a few weeks. However in uncommon circumstances, the virus causes pneumonia, making it troublesome for sufferers, however particularly kids, to get oxygen into their lungs.
It could additionally trigger mind swelling, which may go away lasting issues, like blindness, deafness and mental disabilities.
For each 1,000 kids who get measles, one or two will die, in keeping with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. The virus additionally harms the physique’s immune defenses, leaving it weak to different pathogens.
Christina Jewett contributed reporting.
