A second child dies of measles in Texas

The measles crisis in western Texas has claimed the life of another child, the second death in a outbreak that has burned through the region and infected dozens of residents in neighboring states.

The boy, an 8 -year -old girl, died early on Thursday morning of “measles pulmonary insufficiency” in a Lubbock hospital, in Texas, according to the records obtained by the New York Times. His death is the second confirmed by measles in a decade in the United States.

The hospital, part of the UMC health system, said on Sunday that the girl was not vaccinated and had no underlying health conditions.

The first death in the outbreak of Western Texas was a not vaccinated child who died In February. Another non -vaccinated person He died in New Mexico After having tested positive for measles, although the officials did not confirmed that the measles was the cause of death.

Since the epidemic began in late January, the Western Texas has reported 480 cases of measles and 56 hospitalizations. The epidemic has also spread in the neighboring states, 54 disgusting people in New Mexico and 10 in Oklahoma.

If the virus continues to spread at this rhythm, the country risks losing its status of elimination of measles, a fought victory hard earned in 2000. Public health officials in Western Texas have provided the epidemic Continue for one year.

Shortly after the 8 -year death, a prominent figure In the anti-Vaccino community he blamed death in the hospital, which he claimed had improperly managed the doctor “the case.

The defense of children’s health, an anti-god group that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has contributed to establishing years before becoming a secretary of health, also stated that a “medical error” in another lubbock hospital had led to the first death of the state.

These statements have uncertain experts, who underlined that measles, parotitis and rosolia vaccine are extremely effective in preventing measles infections and their complications.

“These are not medical errors,” said dr. Michael Osterholm, who is an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota and an ex officer of the Department of Health and Human Services. “This is exactly on the back of the anti-Vaccine voices that have continued to spread the disinformation.”

Kennedy has undergone strong criticism for her management of the epidemic. An important skeptical vaccine, offered Support held for vaccination and has Emphasis not tested measles treatmentsLike cod liver oil.

According to Medici in Texas, Kennedy’s approval of alternative treatments has contributed to the delay of patients and to the ingestion toxic levels of vitamin A.

“This is a tragedy, an absolutely useless death,” said dr. Peter Marks, who was the best regulator of the nation vaccine until he resigned last week from the Food and Drug Administration, in part due to the management of Mr. Kennedy of the burst of measles.

“To date, the federal response to the ongoing measles epidemic has focused inappropriately on the distraction and the ineffective alternatives to the only truly effective prevention: the measles vaccine,” he said.

Experts also fear that the recent decisions of the Trump Administration to dismantle the safeguard of international public health and the construction of funding from the local health departments have taken more likely multistate outbreaks.

Sunday, Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican who is a doctor and has expressed a critical vote to confirm Mr. Kennedy, encouraged the public on social media To be vaccinated, adding that “the best health officials should unequivocally say B/4 dies another child”.

Morbillo is one of the most contagious pathogens. The virus can linger in the air for a maximum of two hours after an infected person has left the room and spreads when a sick person breathes, cough or sneezes.

Within a week or two to be exposed, those who are infected can develop a high fever, cough, nose that colas and red and watery eyes. Within a few days, a revealing rash is discovered as flat and red spots on the face and then spreads on the neck and the bust to the rest of the body.

In most cases, these symptoms resolve in a few weeks. But in rare cases, the virus causes pneumonia, making it difficult for patients, in particular children, put oxygen in their lungs.

It can also cause swelling of the brain, which can leave lasting problems, such as blindness, deafness and intellectual disability.

For every 1,000 children who get measles, one or two will die, according to the centers for the control and prevention of diseases. The virus also damages the immune defenses of the body, leaving it vulnerable to other pathogens.

Christina Jewett Contributed relationships.