A measles outbreak is spreading across the US, with a new death linked to an unvaccinated resident in New Mexico. The official cause of death is still under investigation, but health officials suspect a connection between the Texas and New Mexico cases. The first measles death this year was reported in an unvaccinated school-aged child linked to an outbreak in western Texas.
New Mexico has reported 10 measles cases so far this year, with many confirmed in Lea County, which borders western Texas. Health officials are urging anyone who isn’t vaccinated to receive the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is 97% effective when administered as two doses.
The CDC recommends that people receive two vaccine doses, one at ages 12-15 months and the second between 4-6 years old. One dose of the MMR vaccine provides 93% protection against measles. In western Texas, an outbreak has grown to 159 cases, with almost all of them in unvaccinated individuals or those with unknown vaccination status.
The number of measles cases reported this year is higher than previously thought due to delays in reporting from states to the federal government. The CDC has confirmed 164 cases in nine states so far this year.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/unvaccinated-new-mexico-resident-tests-positive-measles-after/story?id=119529919