Second child dies from measles in Texas outbreak; Kennedy Jr. visits families

A second child with measles in Texas has died amid an outbreak that's sickened more than 480 people in the state since January, a childhood disease that has spread to several states across the country.

Fifty-six of those who have gotten measles have been hospitalized as of Friday, Texas' Department of Health reported on its website. The exact cause of the latest death is still under investigation.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on social media Sunday that he visited Gaines County, Texas, to console the families whose young children have died.

"I also developed bonds with and deep affection for other members of this community during that difficult time," Kennedy added in a statement on X. "I am also here to support Texas health officials and to learn how our HHS agencies can better partner with them to control the measles outbreak."

Kennedy's trip to Texas was first reported by Axios

Kennedy, who has a long history of questioning the safety and efficacy of vaccines, said people are being successfully treated with Vitamin A and cod liver oil for the highly contagious respiratory illness. Multiple children needed treatment for Vitamin A toxicity last week.

In a lengthy post on X, Kennedy said the "most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine," adding that he spoke to Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott and redeployed CDC teams to Texas.

A child died from measles in late February as the outbreak in the South Plains and Lubbock region spread. That child was not vaccinated against the disease.

A two-dose vaccine, usually administered as part of a combination with mumps and rubella or MMR vaccine, can prevent more than 97% of infections. Even if a vaccinated person does develop the illness, symptoms are generally mild and the illness is less contagious.

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Measles outbreaks have also been reported in Ohio, New Mexico, and Kansas.

How many measles cases are there in the US?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a total of 607 confirmed measles cases as of Thursday across 21 states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Washington.

What is measles?

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus. Without vaccinations, the measles virus can cause respiratory symptoms requiring hospitalization in about 1 in 5 cases; about 1 in 20 people with the virus will develop pneumonia. In rare cases, it can cause swelling of the brain and death; it can also cause pregnancy complications, premature birth and low birth weights.

The virus is spread through contact with infectious droplets that can become airborne through coughing, breathing and sneezing.

The latest: West Texas children treated for vitamin A toxicity after measles hospitalizations

What are measles' symptoms?

Measles symptoms can begin a week or two after infection and can include high fever, cough, runny nose and watery, red eyes. Some will develop a flat red facial rash that eventually spreads to the neck, torso and the rest of the body. People are most contagious about four days before the rash appears and for about four days afterward and should remain at home.

What should I do if I or someone in my family has measles?

If you think you or a household or family member has measles, isolate at home and contact a trusted health care provider to arrange for testing. It's imperative to inform the provider about the possibility of measles and make appropriate arrangements to avoid exposing others to the virus.