Measles cases up by 13 in the South Plains region of Texas
Texas state health officials reported 13 additional measles cases in the South Plains region of the state since our last report, bring the outbreak total to 159 since late January.
Twenty-two people required hospitalization for their illness and one death was reported, the first in the United States in a decade.
In this outbreak, Gaines County has seen the most cases with 107, with cases reported in eight additional counties.
154 of the confirmed cases were unvaccinated or having an unknown vaccination status.
Measles is a virus that causes fever and a rash, and it can cause serious health complications. It is highly contagious and anyone who is not vaccinated against the virus can get it at any age.
Measles is very contagious. If one person has measles, up to 90% of people around them will also get it if they are unvaccinated or otherwise not immune .
The measles virus lives in an infected person’s nose and throat mucus. Measles spreads through the air when someone with measles sneezes or coughs. The virus can stay in the air for up to two hours. This means people get measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been, even up to two hours after that person has left the room. People can also get measles by touching a surface that has the virus on it and then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. A person can be contagious four days before the rash appears and for four days after the rash appears.
Vaccination is the best way to prevent measles. Anyone who has received two doses of a measles vaccine is considered immune for life and unlikely to get measles.
Vaccination is safe and effective.