# First Measles death in Texas - Feb, 2025, and now in other parts of the US **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 26, 2025, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834 "2025-02-26T16:56:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/1 "2025-02-26T16:56:18Z")
**“1st death as West Texas measles outbreak tops 120 cases. What to know.”** [https://www.expressnews.com/news/texas/article/measles-first-death-west-texas-outbreak-20188974.php](https://www.expressnews.com/news/texas/article/measles-first-death-west-texas-outbreak-20188974.php) > A Texas patient has died from measles, [the AP reported](https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9), the first death in an outbreak of the highly contagious virus that started in West Texas and has grown to over 120 cases. > > The person’s age and identity have not been released, but an AP report indicated the patient died at Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock. A Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center spokesperson confirmed the death, according to the news agency. > > There have been 124 identified cases of measles in West Texas counties since late January, according to a [Tuesday update from the Texas Department of State Health Services](https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-feb-25-2025). **That’s an increase of 34 cases since the agency’s last update on Friday.** > > … > > Five of those who contracted measles are vaccinated and the remaining 121 are either unvaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown. Eighteen of the patients were hospitalized due to the virus, according to the Tuesday update. > … My bold. That’s a big leap in what is a low-population area in West Texas. In a densely populated area, I’m guessing the number of cases would increase a lot faster. Anti-vaxxers: happy now? Stupid much? The disease was declared eliminated 25 years ago. What’s next? Bring back smallpox? * * * San Antonio has set up vaccination locations around the city. For those who are now believers. **"Can you get measles if vaccinated? Where to get MMR shot in San Antonio.**" [https://www.expressnews.com/news/texas/article/measles-vaccine-shot-san-antonio-20184245.php](https://www.expressnews.com/news/texas/article/measles-vaccine-shot-san-antonio-20184245.php) ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/2 "2025-02-26T17:15:28Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > The disease was declared eliminated 25 years ago. > > What’s next? Bring back smallpox? Don’t give them ideas. The worm in RFKJr’s brain is already screaming at him to kill the [Epidemic Intelligence Service](https://www.cdc.gov/eis/site.html) and replace it with crowdsourced opinions of Twitter ‘experts’. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/3 "2025-02-26T17:31:37Z")
Antivax responses: - They faked the death to push Their poison vaccine - No one died on the Brady Bunch measles episode - The dead kid was probably defective - One death doesn’t compare to the billions killed by Covid vaccines - Better dead than autistic - Bring on Nuremberg II 🙃 😜 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/4 "2025-02-26T19:02:45Z")
I swore I wasn’t gonna lament about this. I hate people who only talk about their health. Such a bore. But it has reached my life. I had to get an MMR booster. I had a reaction to the vaccine. I got mumps side of the reaction. Now I have pneumonia. But I don’t care. I’m happy to know I am vaccinated. The thing is, I shouldn’t have had to worry about this formerly ccontrolled disease. They have put my very life in danger. I hope they can sleep at night with their bad decisions. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/5 "2025-02-26T19:19:14Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I hope they can sleep at night with their bad decisions. They can sleep at night because they don’t think(or care) that they made a bad decision. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/6 "2025-02-27T01:06:34Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I swore I wasn’t gonna lament about this. > I hate people who only talk about their health. Such a bore. > > But it has reached my life. > I had to get an MMR booster. > > I had a reaction to the vaccine. > I got mumps side of the reaction. > Now I have pneumonia. > But I don’t care. I’m happy to know I am vaccinated. > > The thing is, I shouldn’t have had to worry about this formerly ccontrolled disease. > They have put my very life in danger. > > I hope they can sleep at night with their bad decisions. I like the way you put this in as poetry. To me, it’s more powerful than just a narrative. I do, however, disagree with your last line. Personally, I hope they _ **cannot** _ sleep at night with their incredibly stupid bad decisions. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/7 "2025-02-27T01:14:18Z")
Refuse vaccines because they’re dangerous, take dying child to hospital for care. Fuck I do not miss Texas. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/8 "2025-02-27T01:19:22Z")
Darwinism at work here. Unfortunately, their self-immolation can be passed to others nearby. All that is needed now is some higher profile idjit to kick the bucket from measles to become forever honored like in the HermanCainAward over on reddit. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/9 "2025-02-27T02:16:27Z")
I do not know the details but based on antivaxxers I know, I doubt the parents will believe it is their fault. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/10 "2025-02-27T02:49:22Z")
I had measles and mumps when I was young. Yes, I’m an old guy. Parents would take children to visit an infected friend so their kid would catch the disease and develop immunity. What changed? I was given to understand those diseases may be fatal to adults, but not to children. Of course it is stupid not to vaccinate children, but what changed? I don’t recall any of my childhood friends dying of measles. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/11 "2025-02-27T02:52:52Z")
‘Sorry your kid is dead. But look at the bright side. S/he doesn’t have autism!’ ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/12 "2025-02-27T02:57:43Z")
Its like any outbreak. You gotta stop the source. Just because only kids had it, that you know of. Lots of other folks were getting it. Some were having bad outcomes. Vulnerable people with preexisting conditions or very young babies. Enough people sickened or succumbed to it that it was deemed necessary to devolope a vaccine. Mumps is very dangerous for adult men. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/13 "2025-02-27T03:02:34Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I don’t recall any of my childhood friends dying of measles. ….Before the measles vaccination program began in the 1960s in the U.S., there were [3 million to 4 million cases of measles and 400 to 500 resulting deaths every year](https://www.cdc.gov/measles/vaccination.html). In 2023, there were [58 reported measles cases](https://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html), compared to 121 reported measles cases in 2022…. From UChicagoMedecine: > **[How dangerous is a measles outbreak? - UChicago Medicine](https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/pediatrics-articles/measles-is-still-a-very-dangerous-disease)** > > With measles cases on the rise, we asked pediatric infectious diseases specialist Julia Rosebush, DO, FAAP, what parents should know. I don’t remember any friends dying either, but I remember terrified parents and some school classmates that were very ill and hospitalized. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/14 "2025-02-27T03:03:53Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I was given to understand those diseases may be fatal to adults, but not to children. Of course it is stupid not to vaccinate children, but what changed? I don’t recall any of my childhood friends dying of measles. Your understanding is wrong: > **[Measles](https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/measles)** > > Measles remains one of the leading causes of death among young children globally, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. > _Before the introduction of measles vaccine in 1963 and widespread vaccination, major epidemics occurred approximately every two to three years and caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths each year._ > > _An estimated 107 500 people died from measles in 2023 – **mostly children under the age of five years** , despite the availability of a safe and cost-effective vaccine._ Even when it doesn’t kill it can cause serious complications such as ear infections that can damage hearing, pneumonia (extremely serious for infants and toddlers), and encephalitis (acute inflammation and swelling of the brain). I knew someone with hearing loss on one ear attributed to childhood measles. Children cannot receive the first dose of the Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) vaccine until they are 12 months old, and are generally scheduled for the second dose at 4-6 years (generally before entering the public school system). So, these very vulnerable members of the population, as well as those with compromised immune systems, require the protection that comes through comprehensive vaccination of everyone else. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/15 "2025-02-27T03:28:38Z")
My aunt contracted measles in the early 1960s before the vaccine and her child (my cousin) was born deaf. I did not know anyone that died. I had the trifecta of illnesses myself - measles, mumps and rubella. Then in the early 1980s I received all the vaccines known to man in US Navy boot camp. ---
**Author:** ![Nyvaak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Nyvaak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nyvaak)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/16 "2025-02-27T03:43:01Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > An estimated 107 500 people died from measles in 2023 – **mostly children under the age of five years** , If I’ve done my math correctly, that means that, worldwide, a child died of measles every 5 minutes (on average) in 2023. I remember that in the 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa, New Zealand had to send them a shipment of child-sized coffins because they had run out. Repeating: _the country had run out of children’s coffins !_ ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/17 "2025-02-27T04:24:30Z")
I sure hope there’s no corresponding outbreak in Lubbock. Shouldn’t this be in the Pit? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/18 "2025-02-27T05:09:44Z")
I’ve always wondered - why don’t these parents feel the same grief/loss/pain about their kids’ death as a pro-vaxx parent would? I’m not a father myself, but I’d always assumed the death of one’s child was - in theory - one of the worst emotional blows a parent could ever experience, regardless of politics, religion or viewpoints. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/19 "2025-02-27T06:49:11Z")
Because they live in an echo chamber. They don’t believe it will happen to their child. And if their child gets M, M or R or any of the diseases there are vaccines for the kid is building herd immunity. They believe. Wait til small pox or polio comes back. It will. They will kill for vaccines then. These same children who are not getting MMR are not getting DPT either. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/20 "2025-02-27T14:05:00Z")
There will be some trusted advisor, likely a pastor, plus all their friends, close at hand to tell them it was God’s will. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834.md?page=2)