Unvaccinated Texas child dies in measles outbreak, first US fatality in years

An unvaccinated child in Texas has died from measles, authorities said Wednesday, marking the first US fatality from the highly contagious virus in nearly a decade and sparking renewed fears of its resurgence.

The death comes amid declining immunisation rates nationwide and as Robert F. Kennedy Jnr, who has long spread falsehoods around the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, begins his tenure as US health secretary.

“The school-aged child who was not vaccinated was hospitalised in Lubbock last week and tested positive for measles,” the state health department said in a news release.

A statement from Lubbock city confirmed that the child died “within the last 24 hours”.

Since the start of the year, more than 130 measles cases have been reported in west Texas and neighbouring New Mexico, the vast majority in unvaccinated children.

Eighteen have been hospitalised in Texas, and health officials warn the outbreak is likely to grow.