First measles death reported in Texas: Warning signs to watch out for

An unvaccinated child in West Texas has died from measles. This is the first death in the current outbreak. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed this is the first measles death in the country since 2015. The child was ‘school-aged’ and not vaccinated, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said in a statement. The child was hospitalized in Lubbock last week and tested positive for measles. As of Feb. 25, 124 cases of measles have been confirmed in the outbreak since late January. Among the reported cases, most of them are children. 18 people have been hospitalized so far, since the outbreak. Five of them were vaccinated. “The rest are unvaccinated, or their vaccination status is unknown. Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities,” DSHS said on Feb. 25. They are working with the local health departments to investigate the outbreak.The measles outbreak has largely spread in the Mennonite community in West Texas, where small towns are separated by expansive oil field-dotted lands. People remain connected through regular travel for work, church, grocery shopping, and other daily activities.What is Measles?Measles is a highly contagious, serious airborne disease caused by a virus that can lead to severe complications and death, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The virus is transmitted by direct contact with infectious droplets or by airborne spread when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. The virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. About one in five people who get sick will need hospital care and one in 20 will develop pneumonia, during a measles outbreak, says DHSH. Measles, in rare cases, can lead to swelling of the brain and death. It can cause complications in pregnant women, such as premature birth and babies with low birth weight.SymptomsThe symptoms appear in a week or two after the individual is exposed to the virus. The symptoms include:Community-wide vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles, according to WHO. “All children should be vaccinated against measles. The vaccine is safe, effective and inexpensive. Children should receive two doses of the vaccine to ensure they are immune. The first dose is usually given at 9 months of age in countries where measles is common and 12–15 months in other countries. A second dose should be given later in childhood, usually at 15–18 months,” according to WHO. The measles vaccine is given either alone or in combination with vaccines for mumps, rubella, and/or varicella.(Pic courtesy: iStock)