The Texas Health Department has now reported 198 cases since late January, while New Mexico has confirmed 30 cases, primarily in Lea County near the Texas border.
Health officials are also investigating a potential second measles-related death in an unvaccinated person.
Here are four more things to know:
- So far, 23 people have been hospitalized from the measles and in late February, one child died in Lubbock, Texas. The child was unvaccinated and had no underlying health conditions.
- New Mexico’s Department of Health is reviewing the death of another unvaccinated individual who tested positive for measles in Lea County, though an official cause has not been determined.
- Katherine Wells, director of Lubbock Public Health, told the Journal the rise in reported cases is most likely due to more people getting tested. “This is growing how I would expect it to grow,” she said. She also said testing in Lubbock began March 3, allowing for 24-hour results, compared to previous delays, when samples had to be sent to Austin, Texas.
- Most of those sickened with measles were not vaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown, and children make up most of those infected.
Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, meaning it was no longer constantly present. However, outbreaks still occur within unvaccinated populations and in the wake of international travel, with the CDC recording 285 measles cases in 2024.
Becker’s 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit is the top tier event that the people leading the future of pharmacy convene. This 3-day event is built specifically for Chief Pharmacy Officers and senior pharmacy leaders. The sessions examine the workforce, financial and clinical priorities shaping pharmacy today. Becker’s is where candid discussions flourish and new ideas thrive. Becker's 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit
