Texas Measles Epidemic Intensifies; Kennedy Assures Countermeasures

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), visited the core zone of the still escalating measles epidemic in Texas. This visit happened to coincide with the day of the funeral for a young child who passed away from complications arising from measles, the second such unfortunate incident. Both children had not received vaccinations. Kennedy took to social media to share his heartfelt condolences to the grieving families and assured his audience that measures were being undertaken to manage the outbreak.

Despite these assurances, Kennedy did not participate in a press briefing conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in close proximity. The area of concern, Seminole, continues to witness a tremendous surge in the number of cases since the end of January. Texas has seen almost 500 instances of the disease, with reports suggesting a possible spread to other states including New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, and even neighboring Mexico.

The health department reported that the second child succumbed to a condition accelerated by measles, which led to a critical failure of the lungs. Notably, the child had no pre-existing health conditions. The current outbreak has witnessed three casualties related to the disease. In addition to the second child in Texas, the victims include a school-going child in Texas and an adult from New Mexico. The common thread tying these victims together is that none of them were vaccinated.

In his inaugural visit to the region as the head of the health department, Kennedy met the grieving families of two deceased children, aged 6 and 8. Kennedy expressed his deep sympathy with the predominantly Mennonite community, which is particularly affected by the ongoing outbreak. Intriguingly, Kennedy has been known for his anti-vaccination stance prior to taking office, although he did vocalize the importance of vaccines as the most impactful deterrent to the spread of measles during his visit.

The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine has been in active use for over six decades and exhibits an efficacy rate of 97% in preventing measles, post two doses. Dr. Manisha Patel, who leads the outbreak response team for CDC, re-emphasized the potency of the MMR vaccine in providing robust protection against measles. She also urged parents in Gaines County to avail immediate medical attention for their children displaying symptoms of the disease.

Dr. Patel added the importance of consulting a healthcare professional to guide the course of necessary treatment, underscoring the seriousness of the situation. She advised parents against delaying medical care for their children in the event of suspected measles infection. However, the death of the second child wasn’t included in the reports released on Friday by the CDC nor the local health department. It was only conceded when a query was presented to the CDC.

The magnitude of the epidemic in Texas has worried health professionals, with an abrupt spike of 81 cases in just one week from March 28 to April 4. The total number of hospitalizations also increased by 16 during this period. The national scenario isn’t optimistic either, with the U.S. witnessing more than double the total number of measles cases in comparison to the metrics from 2024.

One of the primary challenges facing public health officials is the rife spread of misinformation regarding the prevention and treatment of measles. Various unverified claims regarding the remedial capabilities of Vitamin A supplements have been promulgated by anti-vaccine advocates, including Kennedy himself. Despite physician warnings regarding the responsible use of Vitamin A, and potential risks of toxicity with misuse, the supplement continues to be wrongly used as a treatment.

Doctors at Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock noted that fewer than 10 children diagnosed with measles had to be simultaneously treated for liver complications, arising from an overuse of Vitamin A. These cases were observed during routine laboratory tests. Dr. Lara Johnson, the hospital’s chief medical officer, confirmed this disturbing trend of patients resorting to Vitamin A for treating and preventing measles.

Dr. Peter Marks, a former vaccine chief at the Food and Drug Administration, took a firm stance against the administration, blaming Kennedy and his staff for the unfortunate loss. He adamantly emphasized the importance of vaccinations in preventing such needless deaths. Affirming that these fatalities could have been averted with proper vaccination, he urged for the immediate intensifying of the response to tackle the outbreak.

Furthermore, Dr. Marks warned U.S. senators that the current outbreak could lead to further fatalities if not aggressively addressed. Health officials and experts anticipate the epidemic to persist for a ‘considerable time — potentially even a year. West Texas, tragically noted for high rates of unvaccinated individuals and children under 17, remains a critical hotspot.

The outbreak, which is occurring in several states and includes declining childhood vaccination rates nationwide, has raised concerns of a resurgence of this disease, which once was declared eliminated in the U.S. Measles, a highly contagious respiratory virus, manages to survive in the air for up to two hours. Up to 90% of susceptible individuals can contract the virus upon exposure, according to CDC guidelines.

The first MMR vaccine dose is typically administered to children aged between 12 to 15 months, while the second dose is advised for children in the 4- to 6-year age bracket. This dual dose strategy has been instrumental in tackling the measles threat, and its timely administration remains key to the prevention of future outbreaks.