A second measles-related death has been reported in the United States this year after a New Mexico resident tested positive for the virus following their death, according to state health officials.
The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) announced on Thursday that the individual was unvaccinated and that the official cause of death remains under investigation.
The first measles death this year was recorded in an unvaccinated school-aged child linked to an outbreak in western Texas.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it was the first measles death in the US in a decade.
New Mexico has reported 10 measles cases so far this year, with many occurring in Lea County, which borders western Texas.
Health officials suspect a possible connection between the cases in Texas and New Mexico, though no official link has been confirmed.
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As the outbreak spreads, health officials continue urging unvaccinated individuals to receive the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine.
“We don’t want to see New Mexicans getting sick or dying from measles,” Dr. Chad Smelser, deputy state epidemiologist for NMDOH, said in a statement.
The measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is the best protection against this serious disease”, Smelser added.
The CDC recommends two doses of the vaccine: the first between 12 and 15 months of age and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective, while two doses provide 97% protection. Most vaccinated adults do not require a booster.
Meanwhile, in western Texas, the outbreak has grown to 159 cases, according to new data released Tuesday. Nearly all cases involve unvaccinated individuals or those with an unknown vaccination status, with 80 confirmed as unvaccinated and 74 whose status is uncertain.
At least 22 people have been hospitalized, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
Children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 17 account for most of the cases, with 74 reported infections, followed by 53 cases among children aged 4 and under.
So far this year, the CDC has confirmed 164 measles cases across nine states: Alaska, California, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, and Texas.
However, the total is likely an undercount due to delays in reporting from state health departments to the federal government.
(ABC News)
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