Top Line
The deceased from New Mexico County experienced a small measles outbreak and a deceased living in Texas tested positive for measles in Texas, where the number of cases grew to 159, the New Mexico Department of Health said his official cause of death is still under investigation.
Eight people who have been ill due to the virus have been hospitalized.
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Important facts
On Thursday, the New Mexico Department of Health said the deceased Lee County, who had not been vaccinated against measles, a positive virus, was tested positive for the virus, but they have not sought medical care since their death, saying “the official cause of death is still under investigation.”
Reese County, New Mexico, is home to all 10 measles cases in the state, and has detected a Texas measles incident, about 47 miles from Gaines County, Texas, according to New Mexico sources.
The Texas Department of Health reported that the outbreak had grown to 159 measles as of Tuesday, with 22 patients hospitalised.
The Texas Department of Health said only five cases were vaccinated, while the remaining patients with the disease either have not been vaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown (74).
Melissa Whitfield, a spokesman for the Center for Health Sciences at Texas Institute of Technology, told Forbes that a school-age child without a vaccination with measles died of measles on February 26, marking the first death of any outbreak to date.
Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the outbreak was “not unusual” before recently realising its “severe impact.”
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Where is measles occurring in Texas?
Approximately 107 measles cases are in Gaines County, a rural area about an hour and a half west of Lubbock. The remaining cases are in Terry County (22), Dawson County (9), Yoakum County (7), Durham County (4), Martin County (3), Lubbock County (3), Ector County (2), and Lynn County (2).
What age group is affecting the outbreak of measles in Texas?
Although 74 cases were among those aged 5 to 17, 53 cases were reported among children of zero age, among adults over 18 years of age. The ages of the five patients are not stated.
Is it happening in other states?
Yes, there are relatively small outbreaks in New Mexico. There, 10 cases have been reported in Lee County, located on the border with Texas. Outside of Texas and New Mexico, between one and nine cases have been reported by the CDC in California, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. According to a local outlet, there is at least one confirmed case of measles in Florida.
What are the symptoms of measles?
Symptoms of measles include fever, rash, cough, fatigue, runny nose and red eyes. Symptoms do not appear 10-14 days after someone is exposed to the virus.
How contagious is measles?
Measles is highly contagious and can range from 9 to 9 out of 10 people close to one. According to the CDC, people infected with measles can spread it to others four days before the rash appears. Measles can cough, sneeze, or spread through infected surfaces.
Is there a measles vaccine available?
Yes, according to the CDC, it is very effective and safe. The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines, which have been available for over half a century, are effective at preventing measles at two standard doses, and 93% at a single dose. Vaccines are usually given to people when they are children, one dose is administered between 12 and 15 months and the other between the ages of 4 and 6. Vaccines generally provide long-term or lifelong protection. Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said that if you are unsure about their vaccination status and you are unsure about the adult vaccination status, there is no problem with taking the vaccine. Adults born after 1957 and vaccinated before 1968 should consider reexamination, NPR reported, noting that early measles vaccines are not very effective.
What was RFK Jr. saying about the measles outbreak and vaccines?
After insisting that the outbreak is “not unusual,” Kennedy changed his stance, saying in a statement on March 3rd that “the outbreak of measles in Texas is a urge to take action to reaffirm our commitment to public health.” Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic, said the vaccine contributes to community immunity but did not explicitly direct people to get vaccinated, saying “the vaccine decision is personal.” He also supported the use of vitamin A under the supervision of a doctor to treat people with mild, moderate and severe infections, and raised concerns among health experts who warn about the effectiveness of the vitamin. American Academy of Pediatrics President Sue Cresley told the Washington Post that he only relies on vitamin A in place of the MMR vaccine. Meanwhile, the nonprofit Children’s Health Defense, which was founded and once chaired by RFK Jr., attacked the effectiveness of the MMR vaccine, citing skeptics who argued that measles was “a slight inconvenience until it was turned into a literal neurological damage nightmare through the MMR vaccine campaign.”
Important Quotes
“Due to the highly contagious nature of the disease, additional cases could occur in the outbreak area and surrounding communities, according to the Texas Department of Health.”
Important background
The outbreak of measles in Texas began in late January with just two cases, making it the state’s biggest virus outbreak in 30 years. In its 2023-2024 student vaccination status report, the Texas Department of Health said 5.64% of Texas kindergarten students were not vaccinated because of measles, while 2.34% of seventh graders had not received the vaccine. According to the CDC, measles was completely eliminated in 2000. In other words, the virus has not spread across the country, and new cases only came from people who contracted measles overseas and returned to the US in 2024.
Read more
If measles cases are on the rise in the US, do adults need a vaccine booster? (NPR)
