Health officials say record outbreaks of measles continue to worsen in western Texas, and now spread across the border to eastern New Mexico.
The highly contagious respiratory virus case in Long Star State had risen to 90 as of Friday. It's almost doubled from a week ago, state health officials said Friday.
Texas health officials said Friday that the outbreak was the worst in the state's history in almost 30 years.
So far, 16 Texans have been hospitalized for measles, and have symptoms that usually include high fever, cough, runny nose, rash and watery eyes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
However, in some cases, the virus can cause serious health complications in children under the age of 5, including pneumonia, encephalitis, or brain inflammation.
Previous Texas cases have been concentrated in Gaines County, 57, and Terry County, where 20 infections are present.
According to data from the Texas Department of Health, the majority of cases (51) are between children aged 5 and 17, and 26 are among children under the age of 4.
Lala Anton was hit hardest last week as “close, vaccinated” Mennonite communities, particularly those attending or homeschooling small private schools.
But now the lawsuit is spreading in Lee County, New Mexico, which borders Gaines County in Texas.
The New Mexico Health Department says nine infectious diseases may have come from exposures at grocery stores, churches, elementary schools, Norule Hospital and Walgreens in Hobbs.
Officials warned that the number would continue to rise as the virus could survive in the air for up to two hours after an infected individual was there.
According to the CDC, which recommends people receive two doses of measles, mumps (MMR) vaccines to prevent infection, nine out of 10 susceptible people get exposed if they are susceptible, according to the CDC Masu.
With post wire
