U.S. Measles Outbreak Tops 200 Cases as Second Death Investigated

The measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico now stands at over 200 cases, according to the latest figures released by local health departments. The news comes just a day after an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico has reportedly died of suspected measles, the second death of this current outbreak. Texas Department of State Health Services now reports 198 measles cases identified in West Texas since late January, with 23 patients who have been hospitalized from the disease. A “school-aged” child in Texas last month became the first measles death in the U.S. since 2015. As per newly released data, New Mexico has identified 30 cases of the measles during this current outbreak, with no hospitalizations thus far. The person who died of suspected measles in New Mexico was not hospitalized before they passed away. The CDC’s measles information page reports 222 cases total in the U.S. for this year, which doesn’t include the new cases in Texas and New Mexico reported Friday. But it does have ... Read full article.