Second Measles Death Reported in Growing Outbreak in Texas and New Mexico

An unvaccinated adult in New Mexico tested positive for measles. CIDRAP has the news.

The cause of death remains under investigation, but the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) “confirmed the presence of the measles virus in the Lea County resident, who did not seek medical treatment before passing.” New Mexico’s growing measles outbreak is now up to 30 cases; all of the cases in New Mexico thus far are in Lea County, which borders Gaines County in Texas, which is the center of that state’s measles outbreak.

The measles outbreak in Texas continues to grow. Cases have now been reported in nine counties, with 198 reported in total and 137 in Gaines County alone. There has been one death and 23 of the patients have been hospitalized. The death was the first in the U.S. since 2015. 80 of the cases are unvaccinated and 113 have “unknown vaccination status.” 94% of the 222 cases thus far in the U.S. this year have come in people who are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status.

This outbreak comes in the wake of an announcement by the CDC that the agency will be planning a “large study on vaccines and autism,” despite the “existence of numerous studies that have found no such association.” Communication from both Texas and New Mexico officials has “emphasized that vaccination is the best way to prevent measles.” Kennedy has also promoted the use of vitamin A for treating measles; NMDOH responded by saying it “may be administered in children and infants who have severe measles as part of supportive management, [but] it will not prevent infection and should not be given prophylactically.”

The Maryland Department of Health also issued a release on Sunday stating that a resident of the state has a confirmed case of the disease, unassociated with the outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico. The case has been linked to international travel.