Nearly 230 measles cases reported in outbreaks in West Texas and New Mexico

Nearly 230 measles cases have been identified in outbreaks in West Texas and a nearby county in New Mexico. Experts say the rising totals – and two recent deaths – suggest that cases are vastly undercounted.

(CNN) — Nearly 230 measles cases have been identified in outbreaks in West Texas and a nearby county in New Mexico. Experts say the rising totals – and two recent deaths – suggest that cases are vastly undercounted.

In the West Texas outbreak, 198 measles cases have been reported, the Texas Department of State Health Services said in an update Friday — 39 more confirmed cases since Tuesday’s update.

Also Friday, the New Mexico Department of Health reported 30 measles cases in Lea County, 20 more than had previously been identified in the state.

Health officials in both states said cases are expected to increase due to the highly contagious nature of measles.

In Texas, 23 patients have been hospitalized, one more than previously reported. Sixty-four cases are among people younger than 4, and 89 are among people 5 to 17. Cases have been identified in nine counties, but the majority, 137, are in Gaines County, where the outbreak was first identified.

Last month, Texas announced the outbreak’s first death, a school-age child who was not vaccinated, had no underlying conditions and had been hospitalized.

Health officials in New Mexico said Thursday that they are investigating the cause of death of an unvaccinated person who tested positive for measles. The Lea County resident had not sought health care.

Lea County borders Gaines County, but health officials said they have not confirmed a link between the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks.

Among the cases in New Mexico, 11 are in children 17 or younger, 15 are in people 18 and older, and four cases are pending.

The CDC issued a Health Alert Network advisory Friday to inform providers about the measles outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico and urge vaccination.

“Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination remains the most important tool for preventing measles. To prevent measles infection and spread from imported cases, all U.S. residents should be up to date on their MMR vaccinations, especially before traveling internationally, regardless of the destination,” the advisory reads.

One to three of 1,000 children who have measles will die from virus complications, according to the CDC.

“They’ve had two deaths,” said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Philadelphia Children’s Hospital. “I think what this tells you is that they have vastly underestimated the number of cases that are in those communities.”

Offit said the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention needs to help clear up how widespread infections are.

“You need the CDC to put a put people on the ground, to do adequate case-hunting to get a much better idea of who’s really been infected with this virus,” he said.

A team of CDC experts arrived in Texas this week to support the local and state response to measles cases, according to an agency spokesperson. The state health department said it requested assistance, asking for seven experts “to help with case investigations, tracking exposures at hospitals and providing guidance to health care providers on infection prevention and control practices,” Lara Anton, senior press officer for the Texas Department of State Health Services, said in an email to CNN.

New Mexico has been in touch with the CDC for technical advice but has not asked for further assistance, according to David Morgan, public information officer at the New Mexico Department of Health.

Health departments in both Texas and New Mexico have been making free measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines available to residents.

In the month of February, more than 2,400 MMR vaccinations were given to New Mexico adults across doctors’ offices and public clinics, more than four times more than last February. Vaccinations for children in the state are rising too, with about 400 more vaccinations this February than in February 2024, according to data shared with CNN by the state health department.

“We believe people want to ensure they are caught up on their vaccinations, particularly with a regional measles outbreak,” said Robert Nott, communications director for the New Mexico Department of Health.

This week, Texas expanded vaccination guidelines for residents in certain counties with measles cases. Previously, the recommendations were limited to Gaines County.

In Dawson, Gaines, Lynn, Martin, Terry and Yoakum counties, infants 6 to 11 months should get an early dose of the MMR vaccine but will then resume the CDC’s normal schedule for the following two doses. The state recommends that children older than 12 months who have gotten one dose of MMR get their second vaccination as soon as possible if it is at least 28 days after their first.

Adults with no immunity are also urged to get a vaccine, with the second dose 28 days afterward. Adults born between 1957 and 1968 who received an older MMR vaccine should get a dose of the new vaccine with a followup dose 28 days later.

But experts say more needs to be done to encourage vaccination in both states.

Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease. It can cause serious health consequences or death, especially for young and unvaccinated children.

General symptoms may include fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes and a rash of red spots. About 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the US who get measles will be hospitalized, according to the CDC.

Measles can be prevented with vaccination: One dose of the vaccine is about 93% effective at preventing measles infection, and two doses are about 97% effective.

CNN’s Jamie Gumbrecht contributed to this report.

Correction: A previous version of this report misidentified the New Mexico Department of Health public information officer.

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