At least 49 cases have been confirmed. Health officials — who are scrambling to get a handle on the vaccine-preventable outbreak — suspect 200 to 300 people may be infected.

Summary

A measles outbreak in rural West Texas has surged to 49 confirmed cases, mostly among unvaccinated school-age children, with officials suspecting hundreds more unreported infections.

The outbreak is centered in Gaines County, home to a large Mennonite population with low vaccination rates. Despite CDC support, Texas has not requested federal intervention.

The outbreak has now spread to Lubbock, raising wider public health concerns.

Experts warn it could persist for months without increased vaccination efforts, but skepticism toward vaccines remains a significant barrier.

  • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.worldEnglish
    11·
    5 days ago

    Well, their god is maybe the problem:

    https://newrepublic.com/article/121000/puritanical-roots-anti-vaxxer-movement-go-back-300-years

    The anti-vaccine movement today is not solely religious in character, but much of its rhetoric is identical to theological arguments made against inoculation more than three hundred years ago. As the Florida-based organization KNOW (“Kids Need Options Without Vaccines”), puts it, “All vaccines are made in violation of God’s Word.” Such thinking is partly responsible for the worst measles epidemic in twenty years.

    If you think your god wants you and/or your kids to die from preventable diseases, maybe it’s time for a new one?

    • Prehensile_cloaca @lemm.eeEnglish
      2·
      4 days ago

      So they’re saying God is either impotent, or callously cruel? Yeah, definitely dedicate your life to worshipping that. Brilliant logic.