Measles Outbreak in US: Cases rise to 58 – What’s driving the worst surge in 30 years? - Life News

Measles Outbreak in US: Measles is a childhood infection, caused by a virus, and it spreads easily and can be serious and even fatal for small children.

Written by Health Desk

February 19, 2025 12:08 IST

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Cropped photo of a little boy in hospital. (Image Credits: Freepik)

Measles Outbreak in US: As the United States continues to grapple with bird flu, measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico has become a cause of concern. The State Health Department on Tuesday stated that the number of confirmed cases rose to 58.

According to a report by NBC News, the majority of those measles cases are in Gaines County, which borders New Mexico. Four of the patients had been vaccinated. The rest are either unvaccinated or their status isn’t known.

It is noteworthy that most of the infections are in school-age kids, and 13 have been hospitalised. According to health experts, measles is one of the most contagious viruses in the world.

Health experts suspect 200 to 300 people in West Texas are infected but untested, and therefore not part of the state’s official tally so far, NBC reported. The CDC has sent about 2,000 doses of the MMR vaccine to Texas health officials at their request. However, most doses so far are being accepted by partially vaccinated kids to boost their immunity, rather than the unvaccinated, NBC News reported.

What is Measles?

Measles is a childhood infection, caused by a virus, and it spreads easily and can be serious and even fatal for small children. According to Mayo Clinic, the disease still kills more than 200,000 people a year, mostly children.

A New York Times report revealed that vaccination rates have been declining nationwide since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and now it is below 93 percent. An estimated 280,000 kindergartners in the United States do not have documentation of an M.M.R. vaccine, according to federal data.

Texas public schools require children to have received certain vaccines, including the M.M.R. shot, but parents can apply for an exemption for “reasons of conscience,” including religious beliefs.

Last year, more than 13 percent of K-12 students in Gaines County received a vaccine exemption, according to state health department data. That is one of the highest exemption rates in the state, New York Times reported.

What are the symptoms of measles?

Signs and symptoms of measles typically include:

Fever
Dry cough
Runny nose
Sore throat
Inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis)
Tiny white spots with bluish-white centers on a red background found inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek — also called Koplik’s spots
A skin rash made up of large, flat blotches that often flow into one another.

What are the risk factors?

Risk factors for measles include:

Being unvaccinated
Traveling internationally
Having a vitamin A deficiency

How measles is treated?

There’s no specific treatment for a measles infection once it occurs. According to Mayo Clinic, treatment includes providing comfort measures to relieve symptoms, such as rest, and treating or preventing complications.

Treatment for a measles infection may include: