New Mexico confirms measles case in deceased resident amid outbreak that began in Texas

A person in New Mexico tested positive for measles after dying, marking the second death linked to the ongoing outbreak that began in West Texas.

According to an update from the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) on Thursday, the individual was unvaccinated and had not sought medical care before passing. The official cause of death is still under investigation by the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator. However, NMDOH Scientific Laboratory has confirmed the presence of the measles virus.

This new case brings the total number of confirmed measles cases in New Mexico to 10, all reported in Lea County. The cases include six adults and four children under the age of 17. Health officials stated that seven of the cases were unvaccinated, while the remaining three have unknown vaccination histories.

The outbreak in New Mexico follows a larger measles outbreak in Texas that began in January and has since spread across state lines. On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it is on the ground in Texas responding to the outbreak, which has grown to nearly 170 cases, with 159 of them reported in Texas.

The CDC’s announcement came just days after Texas health officials confirmed the first measles-related death in the U.S. since 2015. The Texas Department of State Health Services (TXDSHS) reported that an unvaccinated school-aged child died from measles after being hospitalized in Lubbock on February 26.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can cause life-threatening complications in individuals who are not protected against the virus. During an outbreak, approximately one in five infected individuals requires hospitalization, and one in 20 develops pneumonia, according to TXDSHS. In rare cases, measles can lead to brain swelling and death.

The virus spreads through direct contact with infectious droplets or through airborne transmission when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Symptoms typically appear one to two weeks after exposure.

Early symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. A few days later, the characteristic measles rash appears as flat, red spots on the face before spreading down the neck, trunk, and the rest of the body.