An outbreak of measles is wreaking havoc in the South Plains region of Texas where nearly 60 children have been confirmed to be infected so far. Physicians in the state say the current situation was “inevitable” due to the low rates of vaccination among the largely Mennonite community.

As of Feb. 18, the Texas Department of State Health Services has confirmed 58 cases of measles with 13 patients hospitalized.

The outbreak comes as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a leading vaccine skeptic, takes over the Department of Health and Human Services, which has spurred fears he will further fuel vaccine skepticism, an issue already politicized by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The South Plains region is home to an insular community of Mennonites, a conservative Christian sect dating back to 15th century, among whom vaccinations are not as popular as in the general population.

The ideal coverage for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations is 95 percent. The vaccination rate in Gaines County, the epicenter of the Texas outbreak, is closer to 80 percent. And about 91 percent of Texas children born in 2020 have received at least one dose of the MMR vaccination, according to data from the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS).

Linda Yancey, an infectious disease specialist at the Memorial Hermann Health System in Texas, said the current situation was "inevitable” since anything shy of that ideal vaccination rate leaves communities vulnerable.

“Once a community falls below that 95 percent protection rate it is like dry kindling just waiting for that first spark,” Yancey told The Hill.

“And once you get that one case of measles in a vulnerable community, it spreads........

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