A second child dies of measles in Texas

The measles crisis in western Texas won another child’s life, the second death in an epidemic that burned dozens of residents in the neighboring states in the region.

The 8 -year -old girl died early Thursday morning from “insufficient pulmonary measles” in a hospital in Lubbock, Texas, according to the files obtained by the New York Times. This is the second confirmed death of measles in a decade in the United States.

The hospital, UMC Health System, said on Sunday that the girl was not vaccinated and had no underlying health problems.

The first victim of the western Texas epidemic was an unvaccinated child who died in February. Another unaccompanied person died in New Mexico after being tested positive for measles, although the authorities have not yet confirmed that measles was the cause of death.

Since the end of January, at the start of the epidemic, western Texas reported 480 cases of measles and 56 hospitalizations. The epidemic also spread to the neighboring states, disgusting 54 people in New Mexico and 10 in Oklahoma.

If the virus continues to spread at this rate, the country risks losing its status of elimination of measles, a victory harshly disputed in 2000. Public health officials in western Texas predicted that the epidemic will continue for a year.

Robert F. Kennedy, the national secretary, faced intense criticism for his management of the epidemic. Skeptical of prominent vaccination, he offered silent support for vaccination and underlined the treatments not tested for measles, such as cod liver oil.

According to Texas doctors, Mr. Kennedy approval of alternative treatments has contributed to delaying intensive care and ingesting toxic levels of vitamin A.

Experts also fear that the Trump administration’s recent decisions to dismantle international public health guarantees and draw funding from local health services have more likely rendered multiple epidemics.

Measles is one of the most contagious pathogens. The virus can linger in the air for two hours after an infected person left the room and spreads when a sick person breathes, coughs or sneezes.

In a week or two after being exposed, those infected can develop a strong fever, a cough and a flowing nose and red and aqueous eyes. In a few days, a revealing rash bursts like flat and red spots on the face and then spreads through the neck and chest to the rest of the body.

In most cases, these symptoms are resolved in a few weeks. But in rare cases, the virus causes pneumonia, which makes it difficult for patients, but especially children, to obtain oxygen in their lungs.

This can also cause swelling of the brain, which can leave lasting problems, such as blindness, deafness and intellectual deficiencies.

For 1,000 children who get measles, one or two will die, depending on the centers for disease control and prevention. The virus also harms the immune defenses of the body, leaving it vulnerable to other pathogens.

Christina Jewett Contributed reports.