New Mexico state health officials reported on Thursday that an adult in the state with a measles infection has died, though it hasn’t been determined if the virus caused the death.
According to a health department spokesperson, the deceased individual was unvaccinated and did not seek medical treatment. Specific details such as age were not immediately available.
The individual resided in Lea County, which borders West Texas, where a significant measles outbreak has occurred, resulting in 159 cases and the death of a school-aged child last week. New Mexico officials have stated that there is no confirmed link between the Texas outbreak and the case in Lea County.
This marks the 10th confirmed measles case in Lea County. Seven of these individuals were unvaccinated, while the vaccination status of the remaining three is unknown. Six cases are adults, and the others are children under 17.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Tuesday that a team would be deployed to Texas to assist local health officials in managing the outbreak, which started in late January.
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus that can linger in the air for up to two hours. Exposure to the virus will result in infection in approximately 90% of susceptible individuals.
The MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella, is considered safe and highly effective. The first dose is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months of age, and the second dose is recommended between 4 and 6 years of age.
Dr. Chad Smelser, the deputy state epidemiologist, emphasized the importance of vaccination, stating, “We don’t want to see New Mexicans getting sick or dying from measles. The measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is the best protection against this serious disease.”
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