Kennedy Jr backtracks: 'US measles outbreak is now a top priority'
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The health secretary, who had previously called the outbreak "not unusual," acknowledged the threat following the first measles death in the US in a decade.
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A sign is seen outside of Seminole Hospital District offering measles testing, on February 21, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. (AP)
Two days after initially minimizing the outbreak as “not unusual,” US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. acknowledged the serious impact of the ongoing measles epidemic in Texas, which recently led to a child's death, and stated that the government is supplying resources, including protective vaccines.
“Ending the measles outbreak is a top priority for me and my extraordinary team,” Kennedy – an avowed anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist who for years has sown doubts about the safety and efficacy of vaccines – said in a post on X.
Kennedy stated that his federal Department of Health and Human Services would send 2,000 doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine to Texas through its immunization program. This vaccine is typically administered to children in two doses: one between 12 and 15 months old and another between the ages of four and six.
On Wednesday, health officials in Texas confirmed the first death linked to a measles outbreak affecting the South Plains and Panhandle regions. The victim, a school-aged child who had not been vaccinated, passed away in Lubbock after testing positive for the disease.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, the outbreak has resulted in 124 confirmed cases across nine counties since it began in late January. The majority of those affected are children, with 18 people requiring hospitalization due to complications from the highly contagious virus.
Gaines County has emerged as the epicenter of the outbreak, reporting 80 cases, with the majority occurring within a rural Mennonite community known for low vaccination rates. The outbreak has also spread into eastern New Mexico, with nine cases confirmed in Lea County.
Health officials have identified the virus strain as the D8 genotype, commonly found in South and Southeast Asia. Investigations suggest that the outbreak likely originated from international travel, highlighting the risks of measles importation in communities with low vaccination coverage.
On February 23, Texas recorded 90 cases of measles in the South Plains region, reaching "historic levels" as described by Texan officials, with the majority of cases being children and teenagers; 51 cases between the age of five and 17, and 16 cases in children under 4.
Most patients were either unvaccinated against the highly contagious and potentially deadly illness by their parents, or their vaccination status was unknown, and experts are warning that more cases are "likely to occur" as nine cases are recorded in Lea County, New Mexico.
A Department of State Health Services (DSHS) official said that the outbreak is the worst they have seen in 30 years.
