Vials of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are displayed on a counter at a Walgreens Pharmacy on January 26, 2015 in Mill Valley, California. (Photo by Illustration Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
New Mexico health officials on Friday reported a second measles infection in Eddy County, along with one more in Lea County, bringing the total there to 33 cases. The state health department also announced two measles hospitalizations in Lea County.
While the case jump was small, New Mexico Department of Health Communications Director Robert Nott cautioned that case counts could continue to rise.
“Measles symptoms can take some time to develop, and we want to see how spring break may impact the outbreak,” Nott said. “Measles spreads quickly, so we are going to be vigilant and continue to urge people to stop the spread by receiving two doses of the Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine.”
Citing health privacy laws, Nott said the department would not be releasing any age or gender information about the patients. However, the agency reports basic age group data about infections. There are five reported cases in very young children aged 0 to 4; 10 cases in school aged children and 19 infections in adults; with one case pending an age determination.
In total, 35 cases have been reported in New Mexico since the outbreak began in mid-February, spilling over from neighboring Gaines County, Texas. Texas health officials also on Friday reported cases rose another 36 cases to 259 infections over 11 counties, mostly among unvaccinated children.
Last week, NMDOH reported an unvaccinated Lea County adult had tested positive for measles and died, but the cause of death remains under investigation, health officials said. It is the second fatality following the Feb. 26 death of a 6-year-old Texas child.
Measles, a highly contagious respiratory disease, spreads by contact with an infected person’s coughs and sneezes. The airborne particles can hang around for hours.
People can spread infection days before symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash appear. The infection can lead to severe complications including pneumonia, brain swelling and even death. Approximately one in five measles cases becomes serious enough to require hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
One dose of the vaccine offers 93% protection against the measles, while two doses offers 97% protection, according to the CDC.
The disease’s contagiousness puts unvaccinated people at the most risk, Dr. Melissa Martinez, a professor in internal medicine at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, told Source NM.
“I’m really grateful that we have such a high vaccination rate against measles in New Mexico, but I do think that there are little pockets of unvaccinated groups,” Martinez said. “It’s analogous to having little piles of kindling set up in different places: All it takes is a spark and suddenly, you have a big fire.”
New Mexico Department of Health data shows that the Lea County vaccination rate in children and teens is 94%, but is lower in adults. The most recent data records 63% of Lea County adults received one shot of the vaccine and only 55% received a second shot, Nott confirmed. NMDOH started collecting immunization data in 2009, so there may be vaccinated adults not reflected in the data.
The vaccine rate in Eddy County for children is approximately 94%, but the data for adults was still being compiled Friday, Nott said.
Martinez, an internal medicine and family doctor, said her research and experience into countering vaccine hesitancy informed her practice of building a personal connection to patients, listening to the root concerns and giving them the information about the effectiveness and safety.
“As a physician, my goal isn’t to twist everybody’s arm or convince everybody to get vaccinated,” she said. “My goal is to make sure that people have the correct information so they can make the right decision for themselves.”
She said working to demystify the vaccine is crucial.
“Vaccine hesitancy, whether it’s measles or any of the other recommended vaccines is a problem,” Martinez said. “It poses a risk, not only to the individual, but to the community.”
Children under the age of six months, pregnant women and immunocompromised people are some of the groups who cannot safely get a vaccine.
“You don’t want them to get the measles, they’re our most vulnerable people,” Martinez said.
Vaccination Clinic information
NMDOH requests that any questions about symptoms or vaccines be directed to the helpline at 1-833-796-8773, which is staffed by nurses to provide information in Spanish and English. Further information can be found online.
There are vaccine clinics scheduled at more than a dozen locations in coming days and weeks, and 10 NMDOH clinics in southeast New Mexico offer daily MMR vaccinations, no appointment needed.
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