Third measles death reported in US; Kennedy visits West Texas amid rising cases

US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. arrived in West Texas following the death of a school-aged child who was receiving treatment for measles at a local hospital.

This marks the second child fatality in Texas and the third nationwide linked to the outbreak.

"My intention was to come down here quietly to console the families and to be with the community in their moment of grief," Kennedy wrote on X.

Kennedy said the Department of Health and Human Services is working closely with Texas health officials and has deployed teams from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help control the outbreak.

"The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles," he added in a statement on Sunday.

Texas alone has reported 481 outbreak-associated cases as of Friday, according to the Texas Department of Health.

Nationwide, at least 569 cases have been reported across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and possibly Kansas, based on data from state health departments.

Aaron Davis, vice president of UMC Health System in Lubbock, Texas, said in a statement to CNN, "We are deeply saddened to report that a school-aged child who was recently diagnosed with measles has passed away. The child was receiving treatment for complications of measles while hospitalised. It is important to note that the child was not vaccinated against measles and had no known underlying health conditions."

While a Trump administration official told The New York Times the child's cause of death is "still being looked at," health authorities have underscored the dangers of remaining unvaccinated.

Texas' first measles death in the current outbreak occurred in February in an unvaccinated school-aged child. Another fatality in New Mexico remains under investigation.

Most of the outbreak-related cases in Texas involve unvaccinated individuals, with nearly 70 per cent affecting children and teenagers. Gaines County alone accounts for about 66 per cent of the cases in Texas, while Lubbock County makes up 7 per cent. In response, UMC Health has begun offering drive-up measles screenings at its urgent care centres.

New Mexico has reported 54 cases and Oklahoma has reported 10 cases -- eight confirmed and two probable. Kansas, which is still assessing potential links to the outbreak, has seen 24 cases as of Wednesday.

Health experts caution that the actual number of measles cases may be significantly higher due to underreporting, especially in communities with limited access to healthcare or vaccine hesitancy.

They warn that the high number of pediatric cases may result in increased hospitalisations, particularly among younger children who are more vulnerable to complications from measles.

US Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician, urged stronger action from federal health authorities, writing on X, "Everyone should be vaccinated! There is no treatment for measles. No benefit to getting measles. Top health officials should say so unequivocally b/4 another child dies."

Meanwhile, Kennedy's handling of the outbreak has drawn sharp criticism from medical professionals. Dr Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Philadelphia Children's Hospital, accused Kennedy of undermining public trust in vaccines.

"The disease has returned because a critical percentage of parents have chosen not to vaccinate their children, in large part because of misinformation provided by people like RFK Jr," Offit said.

Kennedy, who has long been known for his controversial views on vaccines, has faced backlash for downplaying the outbreak's severity and the importance of immunisation, even as the country confronts its deadliest measles wave in years.