Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. traveled to Gaines County, Texas, on Sunday to attend the funeral of 8-year-old Daisy Hildebrand, who tragically passed away from measles pulmonary failure. The child, who had not been vaccinated, is the latest victim of the state’s ongoing measles outbreak, which has affected communities across the Lone Star State.
Kennedy, who expressed his condolences to the family at the funeral, also met with the relatives of another unvaccinated child, 6-year-old Kayley Fehr, who died in February from the same preventable illness.
“My intention was to come down here quietly to console the families and to be with the community in their moment of grief,” Mr. Kennedy said in a message posted on X.
In Texas, there have been 499 confirmed measles cases since late January, according to Kennedy. Across the nation, there are 642 confirmed cases in 22 states, with Texas being one of the hardest-hit areas. The outbreak has primarily affected the Mennonite community in the region, where vaccine hesitancy remains high.
As part of his visit, Kennedy confirmed that his agency had deployed a CDC team to Texas in March to provide assistance, including supplying pharmacies and clinics with Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccines and necessary medications. Initially, these teams were set to stay for only a few weeks, but with the growing severity of the outbreak, Kennedy redeployed additional teams at Governor Greg Abbott’s request.
Kennedy assured Texans that more help would be on the way, with additional CDC resources scheduled to be dispatched to other affected areas, aiming to curb the spread of the disease and protect vulnerable communities.
