An adult infected with measles has died in New Mexico, state health officials said Thursday, but the virus has not been confirmed as a cause.
The deceased had not been vaccinated and did not seek medical care, a spokesperson for the state health department said in a statement. The person's exact age and other details were not released immediately.
The person came from Lee County, crossing the state boundary in the West Texas region, where 159 measles cases were identified and a school-age child died last week. New Mexico health officials have not linked the outbreak there to the Texas incident.
The person is the 10th in Lee County to confirm measles infection. Seven people were not vaccinated. The status of the other three vaccinations is unknown. Six cases are adults, with the rest being under the age of 17.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that local public health officials began in late January were sending teams to Texas to help respond to the outbreak.
Measles – One of the most infectious diseases in the world is a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to 2 hours. According to the CDC, up to nine of the 10 susceptible people will be ingested when exposed.
Measles, mumps and rubella vaccines are safe and are extremely effective in preventing infections and severe cases. The first shot is recommended for children aged 12-15 months. The second child is 4-6 years old.
“We don't want to see New Mexicans get sick or die from measles,” said Associate National Epidemiologist Dr. Chad Smercer. “The Measles Mumps Lubera vaccine is the best protection against this serious illness.”
The Texas crisis comes as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) transitioned under the leadership of well-known vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy JR. For a long time, Kennedy has promoted unreliable theories that link childhood vaccinations to autism. One of his first actions to take office was to postpone public meetings on vaccinations.
Kennedy has issued an alarm among pediatricians, vaccine experts and lawmakers after he released opinions that were not supported by the vaccine, focusing on vitamin A and nutrition as a treatment that focused on. In response to the outbreak of measles in Texas, Kennedy wrote to Fox News about “good nutrition” and the benefits of vitamin A, but did not explicitly recommend a highly effective vaccine.
Measles is fatal in one to two out of 1,000 infected children, according to the CDC. The virus also weakens the immune system over time, making people affected by future infections more vulnerable.
In the United States, approximately one in five people who have not been vaccinated require hospitalization from measles. John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In 2024, the rate was even higher 40% of people with measles have been hospitalized.
