A patient hospitalized with measles has died overnight in Lubbock, Texas, marking the first fatality in an outbreak that began in late January 2025 [1][8].

The death was confirmed by Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center spokesperson Melissa Whitfield, though the patient's age and identity have not been disclosed [1].

The outbreak has now reached 124 cases across nine counties in West Texas, with an additional nine cases reported in neighboring eastern New Mexico [2]. The majority of cases are occurring within Mennonite communities, where towns are connected through daily activities despite being separated by vast distances [3].

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 18 people have been hospitalized during this outbreak. Dr. Lara Johnson, chief medical officer at Covenant Children's Hospital in Lubbock, reports treating "around 20" unvaccinated children with breathing difficulties [8].

Gaines County, which has reported 80 cases, has one of Texas' highest rates of vaccine exemptions, with nearly 14% of K-12 children opting out of at least one required vaccine in the 2023-24 school year [2].

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that measles is highly contagious, with up to 90% of unvaccinated people exposed to the virus becoming infected. The virus can remain airborne for up to two hours [1][5].

This marks the first measles death in the United States since 2015, when a woman in Washington state died during an outbreak [8].