A measles outbreak in the southwestern United States has resulted in two deaths and over 200 infections, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue a travel warning.
As of Friday, Texas reported 198 cases and New Mexico 30, bringing the total to 228 infections. Both states confirmed one fatality each, with the Texas victim being a child and the New Mexico victim an adult who tested positive for measles posthumously. While the official cause of death for the New Mexico patient has not been released, the CDC has classified it as measles-related.
The CDC warned that more cases are expected as the outbreak rapidly expands. With the spring and summer travel season approaching, health officials are urging clinicians and public health workers to stay alert for febrile rash illnesses and promote measles vaccination, especially for international travelers.
Measles and Vaccine Hesitancy
Measles is highly contagious, spreading through respiratory droplets and lingering in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. The virus can cause fever, respiratory symptoms, and rashes, with potential severe complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation, and death.
Vaccination remains the most effective protection, with one dose providing 93% lifetime immunity and two doses raising it to 97%. However, US immunization rates have declined, partly due to vaccine misinformation following the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC recommends a 95% vaccination rate for herd immunity, but nationwide coverage among kindergartners dropped to 92.7% in 2023-2024.
The epicenter of the outbreak is a West Texas county with a large Mennonite community, which has historically shown vaccine hesitancy. Meanwhile, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who previously propagated the debunked theory linking the MMR vaccine to autism, has softened his stance, recommending vaccination while also promoting treatments like vitamin A and steroids. Experts caution that such treatments, while medically valid, should not distract from the need for higher vaccination rates.
The last US measles-related death occurred in 2015, when a woman in Washington state died from virus-induced pneumonia while on immunosuppressive medication. The previous fatality was in 2003.
