US records first measles death since 2015 as Texas outbreak raises vaccination concerns

The US registered its first death from measles since 2015 this week, as a child who wasn't vaccinated died in a measles outbreak in Texas.

Normally, most US cases are brought into the country by people who have travelled overseas. So far, Texas officials have reported 124 cases. New Mexico has reported nine.

Experts point to declining measles vaccination rates worldwide since the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the United States, most states now are below the 95% vaccination threshold for kindergartners the level needed to protect communities against measles outbreaks.

Britain reported 2,911 confirmed measles cases in 2024, the highest number of cases recorded annually, since 2012.

Measles cases in the United States last year were nearly double the total for all of 2023, raising concerns about the preventable, once-common childhood virus.

Health officials confirmed measles cases in at least 18 states in 2024, including in New York City, Philadelphia and Chicago.