The U.S. is grappling with one of its largest measles outbreaks in the past decade, with confirmed cases in Texas and New Mexico climbing to 317 as of Tuesday—a sharp rise from 294 reported just four days earlier. The latest figures surpass the total number of infections recorded in all of 2023, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Gaines County, Texas, remains the epicenter with 191 cases, up from 174 on March 14. At least 36 patients across the state have required hospitalization. Health officials are also monitoring four probable cases in Oklahoma linked to exposures in the affected regions.
The outbreak has turned fatal, with an unvaccinated child in Texas succumbing to measles in February—the first such death in the U.S. since 2015. A New Mexico adult’s death is under investigation for potential ties to the disease.
The CDC has emphasized the critical role of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine in preventing infections. \"Vaccination remains our strongest defense,\" a CDC spokesperson stated, urging communities to prioritize immunization efforts to curb further spread.
