In the United States, the number of Measles cases is increasing. At least one death has been reported in Texas.

According to the Associated Press, in Texas alone, there are 124 cases spread across nine counties. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 18 of these patients were hospitalized. A local health official reported on Wednesday that a school-aged unvaccinated child died in West Texas.

According to the Department, five of the people who contracted measles had been vaccinated. The rest were either not vaccinated at all, or the status was unknown.

Texas officials say this outbreak is the worst they have seen in the state for three decades.

This virus was also reported in Alaska and California.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they provide technical support, lab support, and vaccinations when needed.

What is the measles virus?

The measles virus is airborne and spreads through sneezing, coughing, or breathing. CDC states that it is highly contagious and can lead to serious health problems, particularly in young children.

High fever, a runny or watery nose, red eyes, and rashes are all symptoms.

NewsNation reported that a pediatrician said herd immunity is a result of high vaccination rates. This means the disease spreads less easily in populations with vaccination levels above 95%.

“I do not think that there’s a big concern about it becoming a pandemic, like what we experienced with the coronavirus,” stated Dr. Joel Warsh. Most people have been vaccinated against measles or are immune to it, which means the chances of this spreading are very low. In the past 10-20 years, we’ve seen many small outbreaks, but they don’t usually get large.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, has never publicly addressed the measles epidemic. Kennedy’s positions have been criticized as vaccine skepticism, especially due to the growing reluctance of Americans toward vaccines following the COVID-19 Pandemic. Kennedy’s backers, on the other hand, claim that his views only serve to further research into vaccines over a longer length of time.