A measles outbreak in the southwestern United States has resulted in two deaths and 228 confirmed cases, prompting health officials to issue urgent warnings.
The Current Outbreak Status:
Texas: 198 cases, including one fatality (a child).
New Mexico: 30 cases, including one fatality (an unvaccinated adult).
Total Cases: 228
More cases expected as the outbreak continues to spread.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a travel warning ahead of the spring and summer travel season.
“Clinicians and public health officials must remain vigilant for febrile rash illnesses that meet the measles case definition and educate people about prevention strategies, especially vaccination.”
Measles spreads through airborne respiratory droplets and can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. It can cause:
Fever, cough, and rash, Severe complications such as pneumonia and brain inflammation and Death in extreme cases
Measles vaccine (MMR) offers 97% lifetime immunity after two doses.
CDC recommends a 95% vaccination rate for herd immunity.
U.S. coverage among kindergartners fell to 92.7% in 2023-2024, partly due to vaccine misinformation since COVID-19.
West Texas county, home to a large Mennonite religious community, is the outbreak’s epicenter due to historical vaccine hesitancy.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr previously spread false claims linking the MMR vaccine to autism.
He now recommends vaccination but also promotes alternative treatments like vitamin A and steroids.
Experts warn that emphasizing treatments may distract from the urgent need for immunization.
In 2015 A Washington state woman died from measles-induced pneumonia while on immunosuppressive medication.
In 2003 Previous U.S. measles-related fatality before that.
This rapidly expanding outbreak underscores the urgent need for increased vaccination efforts to prevent further spread.