A second child with measles has died in Texas, a local hospital spokesperson confirmed yesterday, as hundreds of cases of the infectious disease have been recorded in recent weeks.The developments have prompted US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr to visit the state, media outlets reported.“We are deeply saddened to report that a school-aged child who was recently diagnosed with measles has passed away. The child was receiving treatment for complications of measles while hospitalised,” Aaron Davis, a spokesperson for UMC Health System in Lubbock, Texas, said in an e-mail.“It is important to note that the child was not vaccinated against measles and had no known underlying health conditions,” the hospital spokesperson said. “This unfortunate event underscores the importance of vaccination.” He did not give details.Republican US Senator Bill Cassidy, who backed longtime vaccine sceptic Kennedy’s confirmation, said on X after the reported death that “everyone should be vaccinated”.“Top health officials should say so unequivocally b/4 another child dies,” he wrote on the social media platform.The New York Times reported that the latest victim was an eight-year-old girl, who died of “measles pulmonary failure”, making her the second confirmed US measles death in the past decade.The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the death or Kennedy’s planned trip.Kennedy’s trip was arranged after he was informed of the death, according to Axios, which first reported the news.NBC News said Kennedy planned to attend the child’s funeral.Kennedy said in his immediate response to the first measles death in February that such outbreaks are commonplace.Some people opposed to vaccines argue vaccination should be a personal choice.Some experts say growing vaccine scepticism has resulted in pockets of unvaccinated or under-vaccinated individuals who are fertile ground for infection.Paediatricians and other doctors are pushing back against vaccine hesitancy and warning parents that vitamin A and other supplements touted by vaccine critics will not protect their children from the highly contagious and potentially fatal disease.Senator Cassidy had called last week for Kennedy to appear before the Senate health committee that he chairs on April 10 to discuss the US health department’s restructuring in which 10,000 people were being laid off, including from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).A committee official said on Friday that the hearing would not occur on April 10 as it had not given seven days’ notice per committee procedure.On Friday the Texas Department of State Health Services reported 59 new measles cases in three days – a 15% jump – for a total of 481 in the state since late January.Measles cases also have been reported in other states, including New Mexico, Oklahoma and Colorado.Another child in Texas died from measles in February.An unvaccinated New Mexico adult tested positive for measles after dying in March, although the state medical examiner was investigating the exact cause of death.As of Thursday, the CDC reported a weekly nationwide increase of 124 measles cases, bringing the total to 607 so far this year.In 2024, the US saw a total of 285 reported cases.CDC officials added that 97% of US cases are unvaccinated or those whose vaccination status is unknown.