"Mogadishu measles campaign 2012_5" by HIRDA Somaliais licensed under CC BY 2.0.
A sad death!
A young child in Texas, USA, has died from measles. The child was not vaccinated. Earlier, the child was taken to a hospital and tested positive for measles.
This is the first death in a measles [[outbreak::A sudden increase in the number of infected people.]] in Texas. More than a hundred people are sick. Health officials say that most sick people were not vaccinated, or their [[vaccine::A substance that is injected into the body of a living being to protect it from harmful diseases.]] status is unknown.
So far, eighteen people have been sent to the hospital. The measles outbreak started in Gaines [[County::One of several sections into which some countries or states are separated, each with its own local government.]], Texas. Now, it has spread to other nearby places.
About measles.
Measles is a very [[contagious::A disease that can spread through direct or indirect contact with an infected individual.]] disease. A [[virus::A very small organism that causes humans and animals to fall sick.]] causes it. It spreads when an infected person coughs, sneezes or even breathes! The virus can also live on surfaces. If someone touches surfaces with the virus, they can also get sick.
The [[symptoms::Any bodily change that can be observed due to the presence of a disease.]] include:
High fever
Cough and runny nose
Red, itchy rash all over the body
Measles can be dangerous, especially for young children and pregnant women. In some cases, it can even cause death.
The best way to protect yourself is [[vaccination::The process of giving someone a vaccine that prepares their immune system to fight diseases.]]. The measles vaccine is safe and works well. Before vaccines, measles outbreaks happened often, and many people died.
So, why was the kid unvaccinated?
Many sick people, including the child who died, were not vaccinated. But why?
One reason could be anti-vaxxers. They are people who do not trust vaccines. They think vaccines are not safe. But science proves that vaccines save lives by protecting us from diseases!
Do not believe false information. Trust science. Get vaccinated. Protect yourself and your family!
Quick Revision
A child in Texas died from measles because they were not vaccinated.
Measles spreads very fast and makes many people sick.
It causes fever, cough, and red rash.
Vaccines are safe and protect people from measles.
