In an ongoing measles outbreak centered West Texas, well being officers in Texas and New Mexico at present reported 26 extra instances, with instances in Texas passing 500 and New Mexico reporting a 3rd affected county.
New CDC alert for well being suppliers
As instances rise in the primary outbreak space and in different states, the US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) at present issued one other alert to well being suppliers, reminding them that measles infections may be extreme, with problems that may embrace pneumonia, encephalitis, and demise, and that 12% of reported US sufferers this yr have been hospitalized. Three deaths have been reported, together with a lately reported fatality in a second Texas little one.
The company additionally emphasize the important thing position of vaccination. “Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination is one of the simplest ways to guard in opposition to measles and its problems,” it mentioned. The CDC issued its final supplier alert on March 7.
Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination is one of the simplest ways to guard in opposition to measles and its problems.
In different measles developments, the Indiana Division of Well being at present reported its first case of the yr, and the Colorado Division of Public Well being reported its second case.
10 Texas counties now affected
The brand new instances in Texas come a day after the Texas Division of State Well being Companies (TDSHS) issued a well being alert, including extra counties to the designated outbreak space. Many of the instances are in Gaines County, which has been the outbreak epicenter. The world now additionally contains Cochran, Dallam, Dawson, Garza, Lynn, Lamar, Lubbock, Terry, and Yoakum counties.
The TDSHS mentioned the ten counties have ongoing transmission and as of April 4 make up 95% of the state’s measles instances.
At the very least seven instances in Lubbock have been linked to publicity at a daycare heart, the Related Press reported, citing Lubbock Public Well being director Katherine Wells.
At present’s 24 newly reported instances push the state’s whole since January to 505. All however 10 sufferers have been unvaccinated or had unknown vaccine statuses. Fifty-seven folks have been hospitalized, and two deaths have been reported in school-aged youngsters.
Within the outbreak space in bordering New Mexico, well being officers reported 2 extra instances, pushing the state’s whole to 56. One of many instances is from a newly affected county, Chaves, which borders Lea and Eddy counties, which have now recorded 53 and a pair of instances, respectively.
Indiana, Colorado affirm instances
The Indiana Division of Well being (IDOH) yesterday introduced its first confirmed measles case of the yr, which includes an unvaccinated minor from Allen County, which is within the northeast a part of the state and is residence to Fort Wayne.
State and native well being officers are investigating the case, together with whether or not there are different associated instances.
The affected person is secure and recovering. The sickness marks Indiana’s first measles case since early 2024.
Elsewhere, Colorado well being officers reported the state’s second case, which includes an unvaccinated Denver County toddler who’s youthful than 12 months outdated. Infants usually obtain a routine MMR dose when they’re 12 to fifteen months outdated.
Infants beneath 12 months are particularly weak to measles as a result of they’re usually too younger to be vaccinated.
Rachel Herlihy, MD, MPH, state epidemiologist and deputy chief medical officer, praised Denver well being companions for his or her fast work figuring out the case and defending the broader neighborhood.
“Infants beneath 12 months are particularly weak to measles as a result of they’re usually too younger to be vaccinated,” she mentioned. “This case is a stark reminder that households touring internationally ought to delay pointless journey or speak to their well being care suppliers about early MMR vaccination for infants, particularly when visiting areas with identified measles outbreaks.”
In a press release yesterday, the Colorado Division of Public Well being (CDPH) mentioned the kid had lately traveled with household to an space of Chihuahua, Mexico, that’s experiencing an ongoing measles outbreak. It added that the case would not look like linked to a lately introduced case in Pueblo, which additionally concerned a affected person—an unvaccinated grownup—who had lately traveled to an outbreak space in Mexico.
