Second child died from measles-related causes in West Texas, where cases are nearing 500

A second unvaccinated school-aged child in West Texas died from a measles -related illness a hospital spokesman approved Sunday as the outbreak continues to swell Aaron Davis a spokesperson for UMC Soundness System in Lubbock Texas explained that the child was receiving healing for complications of measles while hospitalized and did not have underlying medical conditions The hospital declined to say which day the child died The child died Thursday of what the child s doctors described as measles pulmonary failure the Texas State Department of State Wellness Services proven Sunday Neither the U S Centers for Infection Control and Prevention nor the state wellness department included the death in their measles reports issued Friday but added it to their counts Sunday A unvaccinated school-age child died in February in Lubbock the first measles death in the U S in a decade In early March an adult in New Mexico who was unvaccinated and did not seek therapeutic care became the second measles-related death Nationwide the U S has more than double the number of measles cases it saw in all of More than two months in the West Texas outbreak is considered to have spread to New Mexico Oklahoma and Kansas sickening nearly people The World Physical condition Organization also published cases related to Texas in Mexico The number of cases in Texas shot up by between March and April and more people were hospitalized Wellness Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr a longtime anti-vaccine activist has delivered a tepid message on the importance of vaccination against measles saying it should be encouraged while also sowing doubt in the vaccine s safety The measles mumps and rubella vaccine has been used safely for more than years and is effective against measles after two doses Republican U S Sen Bill Cassidy from Louisiana a liver professional whose vote helped cinch Kennedy s confirmation called Sunday for stronger messaging from wellness officers in a post on X Everyone should be vaccinated There is no cure for measles No benefit to getting measles he wrote Top soundness leaders should say so unequivocally b another child dies A CDC spokesperson noted the efficacy of the measles vaccine on Sunday but stopped short of calling on people to get it Departing from long-standing society wellness messaging around vaccination the spokesperson called the decision a personal one and explained people should talk to their medical expert and should be informed about the feasible risks and benefits associated with vaccines Misinformation about how to prevent and treat measles is hindering a robust society robustness response including declares about vitamin A supplements that have been pushed by Kennedy and holistic medicine supporters despite doctors warnings that it should be given under a physician s orders and that too much can be dangerous Doctors at Covenant Children s Hospital in Lubbock where the first measles death occurred say they ve treated fewer than children for liver issues from vitamin A toxicity which they determined when running routine lab tests on undervaccinated children who have measles Dr Lara Johnson chief biological officer mentioned the patients announced using vitamin A to treat and prevent the virus Dr Peter Marks the Food and Drug Administration s former vaccine chief reported responsibility for the death rests with Kennedy and his staff Marks was forced out of the FDA after disagreements with Kennedy over vaccine safety This is the epitome of an absolute needless death Marks stated The Associated Press in an interview Sunday These kids should get vaccinated that s how you prevent people from dying of measles Kennedy is expected to launch a Make America Healthy Again tour across the southwestern U S early this week Marks also revealed he in recent weeks warned U S senators that more deaths would occur if the administration didn t mount a more aggressive response to the outbreak Kennedy has been called to testify before the Senate medical committee on Thursday Experts and local robustness leaders expect the outbreak to go on for several more months if not a year In West Texas the vast majority of cases are in unvaccinated people and children younger than With several states facing outbreaks of the vaccine-preventable illness and declining childhood vaccination rates nationwide several worry that measles may cost the U S its status as having eliminated the ailment Measles is a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours Up to out of people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed according to the CDC The first shot is recommended for children ages to months and the second for ages to years AP reporters Amanda Seitz and Matthew Perrone in Washington contributed to this overview The Associated Press Medical and Science Department receives assistance from the Howard Hughes Physiological Institute s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The AP 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