A measles outbreak in western Texas has grown to 259 cases, with 36 new cases reported over the last three days. The majority of those infected are unvaccinated individuals or have unknown vaccination status. Only two cases have been linked to fully vaccinated people.
Health officials expect more cases to be confirmed in the future. At least 34 people have been hospitalized so far, with children and teenagers between ages 5 and 17 making up most of the cases, accounting for 115 of the total.
Two likely measles deaths have been reported in the US, both linked to unvaccinated individuals. The Texas death was the first recorded measles death in a decade.
The outbreak is centered in Gaines County, where vaccine exemptions have grown dramatically over the last dozen years. In 2013, only 7.5% of kindergartners had parents or guardians who filed for an exemption, but by 2023, that number rose to over 17.5%.
The CDC has confirmed 301 cases in at least 14 states so far this year, including Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont and Washington. The majority of these cases are among unvaccinated or those with unknown vaccination status.
Measles is highly contagious, spreading to up to nine out of 10 susceptible close contacts. Health officials urge anyone who isn’t vaccinated to receive the MMR vaccine, which provides 97% protection after two doses.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/measles-cases-linked-texas-outbreak-grows-259-2/story?id=119799576