Measles cases surge in Texas, New Mexico, fatalities reported
The measles outbreak in West Texas has escalated to 198 reported cases, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
In New Mexico, 30 cases have been reported in Lea County, which borders Gaines County, of as Friday, News.Az reports, citing NBC News.
Twenty-three people — mostly unvaccinated children — have been hospitalized in West Texas.
A 6-year-old in Texas died last week, and on Wednesday, Lea County health officials reported a suspected measles death in an adult.
The reported number of cases is likely a large undercount because many people aren't getting tested, said Katherine Wells, director of public health at the health department in Lubbock, Texas.
Even as hospitals in the area offer free testing and vaccination, the growing outbreak shows the challenge health workers face in stopping the spread of one of the most contagious viruses known to humans.
A health food store in Seminole has become a gathering place for families with visibly sick children seeking medical advice. They’re often given cod liver oil, a supplement rich in vitamin A that’s been touted by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., head of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Two doses of the vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles, according to the CDC. The first dose is given to children 12 to 15 months old, and the second when they are 4 to 6 years old. On Thursday, the Texas Health Department notified families in the area that they could consider an early dose of the MMR vaccine for babies 6 to 12 months.
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