Measles Claims Life of Unvaccinated Texas Schoolchild, First US Fatality Reported Since 2015

February 27, 2025

A rural west Texas "undervaccinated" Mennonite community is the epicenter of the worst measles outbreak in the state in 30 years, the state health department reported.

On Wednesday, health officials in rural west Texas reported the first death in 2025 from measles during an ongoing outbreak in the state described as the largest measles outbreak in Texas in 30 years.1

The death was of a school-aged child "who was not vaccinated [and] was hospitalized in Lubbock [TX] last week and tested positive for measles," according to a report from Texas Public Radio. As of February 26, a total of 124 cases of measles have been reported in the state across 9 counties.1

The death, the first in the US since 2015, occurred in a Mennonite community where homeschooling is common and 14% of children have been granted exemptions from childhood vaccinations.2 A Texas state health department spokesperson, speaking to The Guardian, said that cases are concentrated in the “close-knit, undervaccinated” community that, while comprised of widely separated small towns, relies on regular daily travel among the populated areas for commerce and congregation.2

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported on Tuesday that the 124 cases of which it is aware have been diagnosed since the outbreak began in early January. That number is up from 90 cases reported on Friday, February 21. The majority of the cases, 101, were in individuals aged 17 and younger.3

On Tuesday, Feb 25, HHS, issued this statement3:

"The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting an outbreak of measles in the South Plains region of Texas. At this time, 124 cases have been identified since late January. Eighteen of the patients have been hospitalized. Five of the cases are vaccinated. The rest are unvaccinated, or their vaccination status is unknown. Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities. DSHS is working with local health departments to investigate the outbreak."

According to the CDC, vaccination rates in Texas are 94.3%, just below the 95% recommended by the Infectious Disease Society of America to protect the unvaccinated through herd immunity.4

Currently the US CDC is updating its measles case counts weekly on Fridays. The last update released on February 20, 2025, reported 93 cases in 8 jurisdictions: Alaska, California, Georgia, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Rhode Island, and Texas. The CDC’s web page refers readers to the Texas Department of State Health Service and the New Mexico Department of Health for “more real-time updates of measles.”4

"Measles was rare in the United States, but outbreaks are occurring in areas where vaccination rates have fallen," the American Academy of Pediatrics said in a statement. "Most children who get measles are not up to date on recommended vaccines or are not old enough to get measles vaccine."5

According to the February 20 CDC report, there have been 3 outbreaks (defined as 3 or more related cases) reported in 2025, and 92% of cases (86 of 93) are outbreak-associated. For comparison, 16 outbreaks were reported during 2024 and 69% of cases (198 of 285) were outbreak-associated.4

References
1. Alcorta-Solorio G. State reports West Texas measles outbreak cases now at 124. Texas Public Radio. February 26, 2025. https://www.tpr.org/bioscience-medicine/2025-02-25/state-reports-west-texas-measles-outbreak-cases-now-at-124
2. Pilkington E. Unvaccinated child dies of measles in west Texas as outbreak worsens. The Guardian. February 26, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/26/texas-measles-outbreak-cases
3. Measles outbreak - Feb 25, 2025. News updates. Texas Department of State Health Services. February 25, 2025. Accessed February 26, 2025. https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-feb-25-2025
4. Measles cases and outbreaks. Measles (Rubeola). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 21, 2025. Accessed February 26, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html
5. Schering S. Nearly 100 infected with measles amid outbreak in Texas, New Mexico. News release. American Academy of Pediatrics. February 24, 2025. Accessed February 27, 2025. https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/31468/Nearly-100-infected-with-measles-amid-outbreak-in