The Claim:
Anti-vaxxers, unwilling to take the blame for a child in the United States dying from measles in the year 2025, are instead saying that an RSV infection is to blame.
The Facts:
As of now, there is no evidence to suggest that the child who died from measles in Texas last week died from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
The Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed that the unvaccinated school-aged child tested positive for measles and was hospitalized in Lubbock before passing away. This case marks the first measles-related death in the United States since 2015. The ongoing outbreak in West Texas has resulted in over 159 confirmed measles cases, with only 5 confirmed to have been vaccinated.
No reports from health authorities or credible news sources have indicated that RSV was a factor in this child’s death, rather the health department has affirmed that the child had no underlying health conditions.
Fortunately, there is a vaccine for RSV too.
Disclaimer: Science is always evolving and our understanding of these topics may have evolved too since this was originally posted. Be sure to check out our most recent posts and browse the latest Just the Facts Topics for the latest.
Just the Facts Newsletter:
Correcting this week's disinformation
Sign up to get a weekly look at the latest vaccination facts as we debunk the latest false vaccination claims making the rounds on the internet.