Lea County, New Mexico, is now reporting an outbreak of measles, according to the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH). Lea County is near Gaines County, Texas, where measles cases continue to rise as part of the original outbreak.
New numbers have been released by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) regarding the measles outbreak in Gaines County and the surrounding communities: 90 individuals, including at least 77 children and 10 adults, have been infected as of Feb. 21.
Most cases have been identified among unvaccinated individuals; however, five individuals say they have been vaccinated. Symptom onset began within the last month, and so far, 16 patients have been hospitalized.
In Lea County, New Mexico, nine individuals have been infected, including four children and five adults, as of Feb. 20, the NMDOH reported.
In an effort to prevent further spread of the disease, local health departments have expanded access to vaccination clinics and testing centers, according to The New York Times. Walk-in clinics in Gaines County, Texas, and Lea County, New Mexico, are offering free vaccinations.
Earlier this year, the Houston Health Department confirmed two cases of measles in Harris County residents, which were the first measles cases reported in Texas since 2023 and prompted a DSHS health alert on Jan. 23.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 2023 to 2024 school year saw the highest level of vaccine exemptions for kindergarteners (3.3 percent). The DSHS notes that in Gaines County, the number was much higher, at 17.62 percent (nearly one in five children).
Source: HealthDay
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