A baby has died of measles in West Texas, the primary recognized loss of life from an outbreak of the illness that’s spreading within the state and in neighboring New Mexico, officers stated on Wednesday.
Well being officers in Lubbock and the Texas Division of State Well being Providers stated in an announcement that the affected person was an unvaccinated school-age youngster who had died within the earlier 24 hours.
The officers didn’t launch additional data, however stated {that a} information convention was deliberate for Wednesday afternoon on the Covenant Medical Middle in Lubbock.
No less than 124 instances of measles have been recognized in Texas since late January, principally amongst youngsters and youngsters who’re both unvaccinated or whose vaccination standing was unknown, Texas well being officers say. Eighteen have been hospitalized.
Measles is a extremely contagious respiratory sickness that may be life-threatening to anybody who is just not protected towards the virus.
Medical doctors say one of the simplest ways to guard towards the illness is with two doses of a vaccine, which is often administered to youngsters as a mix measles-mumps-rubella, or MMR, vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine stop greater than 97 p.c of measles infections, in line with Texas well being officers.
The South Plains area of Texas, the place the outbreak has been spreading, has vaccination charges that lag considerably behind federal targets.
New Mexico has additionally reported an outbreak, with 9 instances in Lea County, within the southeastern a part of the state, on the Texas border. 4 of these instances are youngsters beneath the age of 18, all of whom are unvaccinated, in line with Robert Nott, a spokesman for the New Mexico Division of Well being. Not one of the instances in New Mexico have led to hospitalizations, he stated.
The outbreak comes amid rising issues amongst public well being consultants about declining vaccination charges and the affirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a outstanding vaccine skeptic, because the nation’s well being secretary.
Measles could be transmitted when an contaminated particular person breathes, coughs or sneezes. People who find themselves contaminated will start to have signs inside every week or two after being uncovered. Early signs embody excessive fever, cough, runny nostril and purple, watery eyes. Inside just a few days, a telltale rash breaks out as flat, purple spots on the face after which spreads down the neck and trunk to the remainder of the physique.
Texas well being officers have been holding vaccination clinics and inspiring folks to get the MMR vaccine.
