US health chief heads to Texas after second measles-related death
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US Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. is making a surprise visit to Texas as the state grapples with a growing measles outbreak.
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A measles sign is seen at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas (AP)
US Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. is making an unexpected trip to Texas following the state's second reported measles-related death, Axios reported on Sunday.
"This was a surprise trip," an unnamed administration official told the outlet.
The Texas Department of State Health Services announced on April 4 that the number of measles infections in the state had climbed to 481.
The first measles-related death occurred in late February and involved an unvaccinated six-year-old girl from the Mennonite religious community. According to reports, the second fatality also came from the same community.
Back in February, Texas health department spokesperson Lara Anton noted that the outbreak was concentrated within “close-knit, undervaccinated” Mennonite populations.
Measles is an extremely contagious virus transmitted through airborne droplets.
Young children are particularly vulnerable to severe complications, including death. Vaccination is highly effective, protecting about 97% of recipients from infection. In contrast, unvaccinated individuals face an almost certain risk of contracting the virus upon exposure.
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In late February, Texas reported its first measles-related death, involving a young child who was unvaccinated.
Last month, The Guardian reported on March 23 that the growing measles outbreak in Texas surpassed last year's national case count, with 309 confirmed infections, 40 hospitalizations, and one death—an unvaccinated six-year-old girl. The outbreak has now spread to New Mexico, Oklahoma, and several other states, fueled by vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.
At the time, health officials warned that the outbreak could continue for a year. "I never thought in 2025, we would be looking at this resurgence of measles," said Katherine Wells, director of Lubbock Public Health. "And I didn't know it'd be in my backyard, either."
The girl's parents, speaking in a video with Children's Health Defense, an anti-vaccine group formerly led by Robert F Kennedy Jr., rejected the MMR vaccine. "We would absolutely not take the MMR," said her mother. "The measles wasn't that bad. They got over it." Her father added, "It's not as bad as the media is making it out to be."
Kennedy has avoided recommending vaccines during the outbreak, instead promoting alternative treatments and suggesting the child may have been unhealthy—despite reports showing she had no underlying conditions.
It is worth noting that after this, reports said on March 29 that the top US vaccine official resigned, citing the "misinformation and lies" he said were peddled by the incoming health secretary.
