Text change here – updated for last QA step
LUBBOCK — A school-aged child has died in Lubbock from measles, the first death reported in an ongoing outbreak that has infected more than 120 people in West Texas since January, Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed on Wednesday.
According to state officials, the child, who was unvaccinated, was hospitalized in Lubbock last week. It is not clear whether the child lived in Lubbock or where the child was infected with the measles. The Associated Press first reported the death on Wednesday.
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The last time a person died of measles in Texas was in 2018 when a 10-year-old living in northwestern Texas died. That death was not connected with an outbreak and it was not known if the case was connected to international travel at the time.
What we know about the West Texas outbreak
This measles outbreak is the largest in the state in 30 years. The first two cases were reported in late January, in Gaines County. Since then, the outbreak has spread to nine other counties in West Texas and the Panhandle. As of Tuesday, the Texas Department of State Health Services has reported 124 confirmed cases of measles. The agency is working with local health departments to investigate cases and provide immunizations where needed.
The majority of these most recent cases are people who were not vaccinated against measles. According to state health officials, 18 of the patients with measles have been hospitalized as of Tuesday.
Officials also issued a public health alert Monday, after someone with the measles traveled to San Marcos, New Braunfels and San Antonio before knowing they were infected. The state health office outlined several locations the infected person went from Feb. 14 through Feb. 16.
Photo by Natalie Behring
(Natalie Behring for The 19th)
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What we know about the West Texas outbreak
This measles outbreak is the largest in the state in 30 years. The first two cases were reported in late January, in Gaines County. Since then, the outbreak has spread to nine other counties in West Texas and the Panhandle. As of Tuesday, the Texas Department of State Health Services has reported 124 confirmed cases of measles. The agency is working with local health departments to investigate cases and provide immunizations where needed.
The majority of these most recent cases are people who were not vaccinated against measles. According to state health officials, 18 of the patients with measles have been hospitalized as of Tuesday.
Officials also issued a public health alert Monday, after someone with the measles traveled to San Marcos, New Braunfels and San Antonio before knowing they were infected. The state health office outlined several locations the infected person went from Feb. 14 through Feb. 16.
Correction: An earlier version of this article
