Before the measles vaccine, there were over 30 million cases of the disease worldwide each year.

Thanks to the introduction of a vaccine in 1963, measles was considered eliminated in the US in 2000. Yet the highly contagious disease has reemerged as a threat as declining vaccination rates have fueled outbreaks around the country.

The U.S. registered its first death from measles since 2015 this week, as a child who wasn’t vaccinated died in a measles outbreak in rural West Texas.

The U.S. recorded its first measles death in a decade this week as the largest outbreak of the disease in Texas in 30 years has spread. Why it matters: The outbreak comes at a time of dropping vaccination rates and declining trust in public health institutions.

While there are usually cases and even minor outbreaks reported yearly, the 2025 outbreak is on track to be the largest in six years.

The US has reported its first measles death since 2015 during an outbreak in Texas, highlighting global concerns over declining measles vaccination rates post-COVID-19. Lower vaccination rates have sparked increased cases in several regions,

Measles can cause seizures, blindness and death, and children under the age of 5 are particularly vulnerable to complications.

Update: The Texas measles outbreak has grown to 146 cases, with the first child fatality reported. Residents are urged to get vaccinated.

At least 124 people have been infected in the fast-spreading outbreak. Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said "we have measles outbreaks every year."