Texas authorities on Wednesday announced the first measles death in the state's outbreak of the highly contagious disease. The death, of a school-age child, is the first measles death in the U.S. since 2015,

The Mennonite population being affected by a measles outbreak in West Texas is part of a larger, loosely affiliated group of churches worldwide with

LUBBOCK — A school-aged child has died in Lubbock from measles, the first death reported in an ongoing outbreak that has infected more than 120 people in West Texas since January, Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed on Wednesday.

Texas officials on Wednesday announced the first measles death in the state's ongoing outbreak of the highly contagious disease. The death, of a school-age child, is the first measles death in the U.S. since 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The measles outbreak in west Texas grew to 124 cases over the weekend, with 18 patients requiring hospitalization, the state’s health department said on Tuesday. The cases increased by 34 since

At least 124 cases have been reported since late January, mostly among children and teenagers who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown.

The US CDC is providing “technical assistance, laboratory support and vaccines as needed” to West Texas authorities