An unvaccinated one that died in New Mexico has examined constructive for measles, state well being officers mentioned on Thursday, presumably the second such fatality in a rising outbreak that started in West Texas.
The officers haven’t but confirmed that measles was the reason for demise, and mentioned the particular person didn’t search medical remedy earlier than dying.
The announcement got here a bit over every week after a child died of measles in Gaines County, Texas, the primary such demise in the US in 10 years.
Ten circumstances of measles, six adults and 4 youngsters, have been reported in Lea County, N.M., which borders Gaines County, the epicenter of the West Texas outbreak.
This outbreak has been a trial by hearth of the brand new secretary of well being and human providers, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a distinguished vaccine skeptic. His equivocal response has drawn harsh criticism from scientists, who say he has supplied muted support for vaccination and has emphasized untested treatments for measles like cod liver oil.
As an alternative of broadly lauding the security and efficacy of vaccines, as previous H.H.S. secretaries did, Mr. Kennedy has mentioned that vaccines assist shield in opposition to measles however that the choice to vaccinate “is a private one.”
All of the New Mexico circumstances have concerned somebody unvaccinated or with unknown vaccine standing. Whereas the circumstances in New Mexico haven’t formally been related to the Texas outbreak, officers have mentioned a hyperlink is “suspected.”
As of Tuesday, the measles outbreak in West Texas had sickened nearly 160 people, with 22 hospitalized.
New Mexico well being officers urged residents to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, which consultants say is one of the best ways to guard in opposition to the illness. Two doses of the vaccine stop greater than 97 p.c of measles infections.
“We don’t wish to see New Mexicans getting sick or dying from measles,” Dr. Chad Smelser, a state epidemiologist, mentioned in a information launch.
The measles virus, which spreads when an contaminated particular person breathes, coughs or sneezes, is extraordinarily contagious. Every contaminated particular person can unfold the pathogen to as many as 18 others.
Inside every week or two of being uncovered, those that are contaminated could develop a excessive fever, cough, runny nostril and crimson, watery eyes. Inside a couple of days, a telltale rash breaks out, first as flat, crimson spots on the face after which spreading down the neck and torso to the remainder of the physique.
Most often, these signs resolve in a couple of weeks. However in uncommon circumstances, the virus causes pneumonia, making it troublesome for sufferers, particularly youngsters, to get oxygen into their lungs.
The an infection may result in mind swelling, which might trigger lasting injury, together with blindness, deafness and mental disabilities.
For each 1,000 youngsters who get measles, one or two will die, based on the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.
The virus additionally weakens the immune system in the long run, making its host extra vulnerable to future infections.
A 2015 examine discovered that earlier than the M.M.R. vaccine was broadly accessible, measles might need been liable for as much as half of all infectious illness deaths in youngsters.
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