AUSTIN/SANTA FE: Texas/New Mexico have reported 28 new measles cases in the past five days, bringing the total to 256 since the outbreak began in late January.
The outbreak started in West Texas and led to the first U.S. measles deaths in a decade. It is also a significant challenge for U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been skeptical of vaccines.
As of March 11, Texas had 223 cases, up from 198 on March 7, with hospitalizations rising from 23 to 29. In Gaines County, the center of the outbreak, cases increased from 137 to 156. New Mexico’s cases rose from 30 to 33, including one new case in Eddy County.
Last week, an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico who died tested positive for measles. Medical examiners are investigating whether measles caused the death.
Los Angeles County also reported its first measles case of the year in a resident who recently traveled to Taiwan. The CDC says measles often spreads in the U.S. through unvaccinated travelers from countries where the disease is still common.
The CDC reassured doctors that a widespread measles outbreak in the U.S. is unlikely due to strong vaccination programs. The MMR vaccine is the best protection, but 80 patients in Texas and 27 in New Mexico were unvaccinated.
Kennedy has said vaccination is a personal choice and has promoted alternative treatments, though experts say there is little evidence to support them.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
