US health and human services department confirmed death but insisted the exact cause is under investigation

Summary

An eight-year-old girl reportedly died of measles in Lubbock, Texas, marking the second child death amid a state outbreak nearing 500 cases.

Health officials confirmed the death but said the cause remains under investigation; the New York Times cited records identifying “measles pulmonary failure.”

The first death occurred in February, also involving an unvaccinated child. Most Texas cases stem from an undervaccinated Mennonite community in Gaines County.

Nationally, over 600 measles cases have been recorded in 2025—more than double last year’s total—with five states facing active outbreaks.