Measles cases have surged to nearly 300 in Texas and New Mexico, with two unvaccinated individuals dying from measles-related causes. The highly contagious airborne virus spreads easily through coughing, sneezing, or breathing.
Texas has reported 259 cases, with five more people hospitalized due to measles complications. New Mexico has seen 35 cases, mostly in Lea County, with two hospitalizations. Oklahoma has also reported two probable cases linked to the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks.
Measles cases have been detected in multiple states, including Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines an outbreak as three or more related cases. Measles typically spreads through international travel, especially in areas with low vaccination rates.
To protect against measles, the MMR vaccine is recommended for children between 12-15 months old and 4-6 years old. Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” generally don’t need shots, but may consider a booster if living in an outbreak area. A doctor can check levels of measles antibodies with an MMR titer test.
Measles symptoms include high fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and a rash, which appears three to five days after the first symptoms. The virus can lead to complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling, and death.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-new-mexico-vaccine-rfk-d5444b3397ac7c4034e63becc219aa33