The measles outbreak in Texas has doubled to 48 cases in less than a week. So far, 13 of the infected individuals have been hospitalized, state health officials report. The outbreak is concentrated in Gaines County, Texas, an area with low vaccination rates. This pocket of low vaccination has helped the virus spread within these communities. All people infected in the outbreak are either unvaccinated or their vaccination status is not known.
In addition to the Texas infections, one case was reported in Lea County, New Mexico which borders Gaines County, Texas. The infected individual is an unvaccinated teenager. The New Mexico Department of Health said that this patient had not recently visited Texas or been in contact with any known cases from the Texas outbreak.
The 48 cases in Texas make this the state’s worst measles outbreak since 1996, when the virus infected 49 people. Measles is extremely contagious. The virus can survive in the air for as long as hours after being exhaled by an infected individual. About 90% of unvaccinated people will become ill if exposed to measles. Prior to the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine in 1963, measles sickened 3-4 million Americans each year. Since the vaccine was added to the routine childhood immunization schedule, the number of infections has typically stayed below 200 per year. However, vaccination rates have declined in recent years, causing outbreaks to become more common. Experts warn that these outbreaks will continue to increase as the vaccination rates fall nationwide.
Full Story: Associated Press, CNN
