Texas Measles Outbreak Becomes Largest in 30 Years, Claims First U.S. Child Fatality Since 2003

The outbreak, centered in a largely unvaccinated community, raises concerns over declining vaccination rates and public health leadership.

A measles outbreak in West Texas has resulted in 124 confirmed cases and the death of an unvaccinated child, marking the first U.S. measles fatality in a decade and the first child death since 2003.
The outbreak, concentrated in a rural Mennonite community with low vaccination rates, is the largest in Texas in over 30 years and accounts for 90% of U.S. measles cases so far in 2025.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downplayed the severity of the outbreak during a cabinet meeting, inaccurately describing it as 'not unusual' and misstating the number of deaths.
Experts attribute the outbreak to declining MMR vaccination rates nationwide, which have fallen below the 95% threshold necessary to prevent outbreaks for four consecutive years.
Public health officials urge increased vigilance and vaccination efforts, warning that inadequate immunization coverage could lead to more outbreaks across the country.