Grownup contaminated with measles dies in New Mexico, well being officers say | New Mexico

An grownup who was contaminated with measles has died in New Mexico, state well being officers introduced Thursday, although the virus has not been confirmed as the reason for loss of life.

The one that died had been unvaccinated and didn’t search medical care, a state well being division spokesperson mentioned in an announcement. The individual’s precise age and different particulars weren’t instantly launched.

The individual was from Lea county, simply throughout the state line from the west Texas area the place 159 measles instances have been recognized and a school-age baby died final week – the primary US measles loss of life in a decade. New Mexico well being officers haven’t linked the outbreak there to the Texas instances.

The individual was the tenth in Lea county to have had a confirmed measles an infection. Seven have been unvaccinated. The vaccination standing of the opposite three individuals is unknown. Six of the instances have been in adults and the remainder have been in kids youthful than 17.

On Tuesday, the US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention introduced that they have been sending a crew to Texas to assist native public well being officers reply to the outbreak, which started in late January.

Measles – some of the infectious illnesses on the planet – is a respiratory virus that may survive within the air for as much as two hours. As much as 9 out of 10 people who find themselves inclined will get the virus if uncovered, in keeping with the CDC.

The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is secure and extremely efficient at stopping an infection and extreme instances. The primary shot is really useful for youngsters aged 12-15 months, and the second for these aged 4 to 6.

“We don’t wish to see New Mexicans getting sick or dying from measles,” mentioned Dr Chad Smelser, the deputy state epidemiologist. “The measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is the perfect safety in opposition to this severe illness.”

The disaster in Texas comes because the US Division of Well being and Human Companies (HHS) transitions beneath the management of Robert F Kennedy Jr, a well known vaccine skeptic. Kennedy has lengthy promoted the discredited concept linking childhood vaccinations to autism. One in every of his first actions in workplace was to postpone a public assembly on immunization.

Kennedy raised alarm amongst pediatricians, vaccine specialists and lawmakers after publishing an opinion piece that targeted on vitamin A and diet as therapies for measles and didn’t endorse vaccines. In response to the Texas measles outbreak, Kennedy wrote for Fox Information about the advantages of “good diet” and vitamin A, however didn’t explicitly advocate extremely efficient vaccines.

In response to the CDC, measles is deadly for one to 2 out of each 1,000 contaminated kids. The virus additionally weakens the immune system over time and leaves these affected extra susceptible to future infections.

Within the US, about one in 5 unvaccinated individuals would require hospitalization from measles, in keeping with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Faculty of Public Well being. In 2024, that price was even larger – about 40% of individuals with measles have been hospitalized.