We would absolutely not take the MMR,” the mother of a six-year-old who died from complications stemming from the measles, told an interviewer.

Texas' outbreak, which has largely spread in undervaccinated Mennonite communities, could last a year, based on studies.

Vaccination efforts have faltered, and many residents have turned to alternative treatments endorsed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary.

A measles outbreak that began in Texas at the start of the year has infected over 300 people as of Tuesday, as cases of the highly contagious illness have been spotted in 17 states and already exceeded the total number of measles cases reported in 2024.

Three hundred and twenty-one cases have been reported in the ongoing measles outbreak in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, the states said Tuesday. This is an increase of 25 cases since an update on Friday.

The Texas measles outbreak has expanded to 309 cases, affecting four new counties, with most cases in children 17 and younger.

Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon} Health Care Health Care   The Big Story Parents of Texas child who died from measles urge no vaccinationsThe parents of an unvaccinated

Kaylee, the young daughter of the Texan parents, became the first measles death in the US for a decade on February 26. Despite their heartbreak, the couple insisted measles ‘is good for the body’ and suggested parents shouldn’t give their children the vaccine because the disease ‘wasn’t that bad.