# 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:** 13
**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:** [April 7, 2025, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/241 "2025-04-07T01:35:29Z")
Whatever his two options are, he may be open to both of them. ---
**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:** [April 7, 2025, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/242 "2025-04-07T13:40:54Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > RFK has a history of taking dead things home with him. _Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things_. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/243 "2025-04-07T14:50:20Z")
Up to three deaths. Another unvaccinated child with no underlying health issues. > **[Third measles death](https://open.substack.com/pub/yourlocalepidemiologist/p/third-measles-death?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=zgvzt)** > > This is not normal. For three reasons. A snip: Before this year, there had only been three measles deaths since 2000 [when measles was declared eliminated in the us]: 2015: A 28-year-old immunocompromised woman in Washington was exposed in a clinic. 2003: A 75-year-old traveler from California with pneumonia. The other was a 13-year-old immunocompromised child (post–bone marrow transplant) living between Illinois and Mexico. ---
**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:** [April 7, 2025, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/244 "2025-04-07T15:00:19Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Up to three deaths. Another unvaccinated child with no underlying health issues. There are the two kids, 6 and 8. Did New Mexico confirm that adult died from measles? I couldn’t find an article saying that. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/245 "2025-04-07T15:11:04Z")
I didn’t realize the second death was controversial. Someone dies “with measles” due to untreated illness is a measles death in my books. This isn’t like a kid who died in a car crash and happened to test positive for covid. Given HIPAA and the politics at the moment, i don’t think we’ll hear whether that death is officially confirmed. [https://www.pulmonologyadvisor.com/news/second-death-from-measles-reported-in-unvaccinated-adult-in-new-mexico/](https://www.pulmonologyadvisor.com/news/second-death-from-measles-reported-in-unvaccinated-adult-in-new-mexico/) ---
**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:** [April 7, 2025, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/246 "2025-04-07T15:21:17Z")
I mean, I assume it was measles, but don’t know why they wouldn’t confirm. The Texas Dept of State Health Services confirmed that second kid died of measles, for example. (it’s also not clear to me that the government is proscribed by HIPAA from reporting what they know) Ah, it’s listed on their measles tracking site as a death in Lea County. There we go. [Measles](https://www.nmhealth.org/about/erd/ideb/mog/) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/247 "2025-04-07T15:35:22Z")
thanks for finding that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2025, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/248 "2025-04-08T23:34:22Z")
I had it when I was 7, my sister was 14. I can attest to what you said. She was much sicker than I was. We caught it from my other sister’s son, he was a toddler at the time and, if I recall correctly, only broke out in a few sores. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2025, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/249 "2025-04-09T02:00:44Z")
I thought RFK went to the funeral? Of course it was measles. A 2013 study in JAMA showed that the flu vaccine reduces death by cardiovascular events in elderly people by 30%. I wonder if that is really true and why you never hear much about that benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2025, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/250 "2025-04-09T03:21:52Z")
Ontario has over 600 measles cases, so unvaccinated communities are not unique to the United States. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2025, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/251 "2025-04-09T03:36:47Z")
What the hell is wrong with people? These very childhood diseases were roundly feared a few decades ago. There should be no questions that no disease is better than a _mild_ case of anything. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2025, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/252 "2025-04-09T03:39:11Z")
20% of measles cases are complicated by another illness since measles weakens and even resets immunity. Often this is pneumonia. But if it is swelling of the brain, that physical damage won’t be undone by eating a lot of liver and carrots. And between 1 and 3 people will die for every 1000 that get measles, depending on its virulence. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2025, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/253 "2025-04-10T22:12:33Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I’m pretty sure he’s mainly a bear-loving dude. If only… > **[RFK Jr.'s Alleged Troubling History with Animals: Mice in Blenders, Dumping a...](https://people.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr-alleged-troubling-history-with-animals-8782714)** > > In her letter to senators on the eve of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearing to become the country’s next health secretary, Caroline Kennedy called her cousin a predator. She also accused him of blending mice and chicken, adding to the list... > **[Scrutiny over claims RFK Jr cut off dead whale's head](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr7rj432835o)** > > Activists say the alleged incident decades ago may have broken conservation laws. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2025, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/254 "2025-04-14T15:01:58Z")
Next on the comeback trail? > **[Two infants die of whooping cough in Louisiana as national case numbers climb...](https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/02/health/whooping-cough-pertussis-louisiana/index.html)** > > There have been 6,600 pertussis cases reported in the US in 2025, almost four times the number at this point last year. > … > Louisiana has had [110 cases](https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid033G3FFu4JL9XCG5WW2MtvhgRetMMV8Thf24HQnmsnA62GUKUgL6mA6Pfz2kqoUKD7l&id=61561728868838) of pertussis reported so far this year, the health department said – already approaching the 154 cases reported for all of 2024. > > Cases are on the rise nationally, too. There were more than [35,000](https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/media/pdfs/2025/01/pertuss-surv-report-2024_PROVISIONAL-508.pdf) cases of whooping cough last year in the US, the highest number in more than a [decade](https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/php/surveillance/pertussis-cases-by-year.html), and [10 people died](https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/media/pdfs/2025/01/pertuss-surv-report-2024_PROVISIONAL-508.pdf) — six of them less than 1 year old. Experts say they see peaks and valleys with these kinds of illnesses over the years, but there have been about 6,600 cases already in 2025, almost four times the number at this point last year. > > … > > Children are recommended to get a dose of the diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis, or DTaP, vaccine at the ages of 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, between 15 to 18 months and again between 4 to 6 years, according to the [US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](https://www.cdc.gov/diphtheria/hcp/vaccine-recommendations/index.html#:~:text=CDC%20recommends%20routine%20DTaP%20vaccination,4%20through%206%20years). Adolescents should get a booster with a version of the vaccine called Tdap between age 11 and 12, and adults are urged to get Tdap boosters every 10 years. > > Infants too young to be vaccinated are susceptible to the bacteria, which is why officials [recommend](https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/the-tdap-vaccine-and-pregnancy#:~:text=Tdap%20and%20Pregnancy%20Expand%20All&text=Should%20I%20get%20a%20Tdap,illness%20and%20complications%20of%20pertussis.) that pregnant women get the vaccine in their third trimester, so the antibodies will be passed to the newborn. This prevents [78% of pertussis cases](https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/hcp/vaccine-recommendations/vaccinating-pregnant-patients.html#:~:text=Tdap%20can%20be%20safely%20administered%20at%20any%20point%20during%20pregnancy,during%20a%20community%20pertussis%20outbreak.) in young infants and is 91% effective against hospitalization, the CDC says. > > … > > Pertussis cases in Louisiana are rising just weeks after the state Department of Health said it was ending vaccine promotion through events like health fairs. > … ---
**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:** [April 14, 2025, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/255 "2025-04-14T17:29:58Z")
My girls had croup one time. Watching your babies wracked with horrible choking coughing fits are hard to take. It’s viral and self limiting. Whooping cough( pertussis) is bacterial, longer lasting and bad coughing. I don’t understand any parent not wanting to prevent their child suffering from this. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/256 "2025-04-14T18:27:42Z")
Pertussis is a bit more complicated of a story, partly because it has stayed around causing mostly milder disease in adults and older vaccinated children that rarely gets diagnosed throughout. Our group of five pediatricians have diagnosed more than a dozen cases this past year. One in a non-vaxxer. Others have been up to date with vaccines but waning protection. The last two I diagnosed were fifth graders. One with two weeks of cough and starting to get into spasms of cough. The other her best friend whose cough has just started but knew to come in. I _suspect_ there is a large group of unvaccinated folk spreading it but it is not the same fairly pure clear story that measles is. And some is no doubt that now that we know it is out there in big numbers we are missing it less. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/257 "2025-04-14T19:46:45Z")
On the other hand, since whooping cough immunity wanes faster, today’s vaccination incidence matters more. An awful lot of the population was vaccinated against measles when it was a less political thing, and almost all of them are still immune. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/258 "2025-04-14T20:21:06Z")
I had measles, and mumps, and German Measles. There were no shots for them, in those days. I caught measles at a children’s party, according to my late mother, and she worked out who I caught it from, too. I’m told i was very ill , though I have no recollection of it. By the time my brother came along, they had a shot for it. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/259 "2025-04-14T20:35:29Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > On the other hand, since whooping cough immunity wanes faster, today’s vaccination incidence matters more. Yup, to the extent that when I went in for a plain Tetanus booster maybe 12-15 years ago, the doctor told me the general recommendation was a TDaP these days because of outbreaks of pertussis at Texas (!) megachurches (involving tons of unvaccinated kids, of course). ---
**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:** [April 14, 2025, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834/260 "2025-04-14T21:31:16Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I’m going to Texas in a couple of months and will be in large groups of people for almost a week, today I went and got the MMR and will get a booster in a month. So fucking stupid, all of this. I was running errands in Walmart and thought to ask the pharmacist if she had MMR vaccines, and she clasped her hands in a beseeching gesture and said “PLEASE get vaccinated.” So, I’m boosted. She said all her elderly customers think they can’t get it, or that it won’t come to our neck of the woods. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-measles-death-in-texas-feb-2025-and-now-in-other-parts-of-the-us/1014834.md?page=12) [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=14)