A measles outbreak is sweeping through Texas, with at least 58 cases reported in West Texas within three weeks – the largest in the state in nearly 30 years. The virus has also spread to neighboring New Mexico, with eight cases confirmed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the highly contagious disease can be spread through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, sneezes, or talks.
Measles is caused by the morvillivirus, which can lead to serious health complications, especially in children under 5 who aren’t vaccinated. The virus has a reproductive number of between 12 and 18, meaning a single individual can infect up to 18 unvaccinated individuals on average.
Symptoms of measles include fever, tiredness, cough, runny nose, red or bloodshot eyes, and a rash that often starts from the head and moves down the body. People infected with measles are most contagious four days before the rash appears until four days after it goes away.
The CDC warns that measles can be serious in people of all ages, particularly those who are pregnant, have weak immune systems, or are older adults. There is no treatment for measles, but prevention through vaccination is key. The CDC recommends two doses of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, which are 97% effective against measles.
Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, emphasizes that it’s never too late to get vaccinated. “Measles is a great exploiter of unvaccinated individuals,” he says. “If you have a significant population that has not been vaccinated, then measles can rip through those populations very quickly.”
The CDC reports 14 measles cases in five jurisdictions, including Alaska, Georgia, New York City, Rhode Island, and Texas. The outbreak highlights the importance of vaccination and the need for continued vigilance against this highly contagious disease.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/a-measles-outbreak-is-hitting-texas-and-new-mexico-the-highly-contagious-virus-explained–and-what-the-cdc-says-about-getting-revaccinated-as-an-adult-200956507.html