Health experts say there ought to be no outbreaks in the United States. “Each outbreak signifies a lapse in our public health defenses and poses serious risks, especially to children,” said Dr. Jerome Adams, who served as U.S. Surgeon General during the first Trump administration.

Kennedy Jr. said ending the measles outbreak in Texas is a top priority for him and listed the steps his agency had taken to combat the spread of disease, including supporting the state’s vaccine efforts.

In her hometown of Lubbock, Texas, Leah, a pregnant mother, has been avoiding stores and other public spaces for the last two weeks. On Wednesday, the city saw a six-year-old child who was not vaccinated against the virus die – the first US death from the measles in nearly a decade.