LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — In a tragic development, a child who had not received vaccinations has succumbed to measles in West Texas. This marks the first measles-related death in the U.S. since 2015 and the initial fatality linked to the current outbreak that began late last month.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported that the deceased was a “school-aged child who was not vaccinated” and had been admitted to a hospital the previous week. The announcement was made Wednesday in an official statement.

Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the situation, nor has the office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Melissa Whitfield, a spokesperson for Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, confirmed the child’s death to The Associated Press on Wednesday morning.

The ongoing measles outbreak in rural West Texas has now escalated to 124 confirmed cases across nine counties, which, according to state health officials, represents Texas’ largest outbreak in nearly three decades. Additionally, there are nine reported cases in eastern New Mexico.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has verified that this is the first measles death reported in the United States since 2015. The number of measles cases reached its peak in almost 30 years in 2019, and there has been a resurgence in cases in 2024, including a significant outbreak in Chicago that infected over 60 individuals.

The outbreak is primarily affecting the Mennonite community in West Texas, where small towns are spread across vast areas filled with oil rigs, but residents frequently travel between them for work, religious services, grocery shopping, and daily necessities.

Data from the Texas health department indicates that most of the cases involve individuals under the age of 18. Gaines County, with 80 confirmed cases, ranks among the highest in the state for students who have opted out of at least one mandatory vaccination, affecting nearly 14% of K-12 children during the 2023-24 school year.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus that can linger in the air for up to two hours. According to the CDC, up to 90% of unvaccinated individuals exposed to the virus will contract it. While most children recover from measles, the illness can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, blindness, swelling of the brain, and even death.

The CDC has stated that they are offering “technical assistance, laboratory support, and vaccines as needed” to West Texas, although the investigation into the outbreak is being led by the state health department.

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This story has been updated to clarify that Melissa Whitfield from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center confirmed the child’s death, not a spokesperson for the city of Lubbock.

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The Health and Science Department of the Associated Press is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP retains sole responsibility for the content of this story.