Over the weekend, a dozen additional measles cases were reported in Texas, raising concerns over the infection’s potential spread.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, the total number of people in the state diagnosed with measles now stands at 158. Cases have been reported in nine counties, including Rockwall County in North Texas. However, the case from Rockwall County is not believed to be linked to the wider West Texas outbreak that has been making recent headlines, the worst in decades.
While the South Plains area near Lubbock in northwest Texas has recorded the highest number of cases, the highly contagious viral infection has recently spread to Central Texas.
The exact cause of the outbreak is still unknown.
However, Texas’ proximity to the border means it remains on the frontlines of illegal immigration. While the CDC recommends healthcare providers screen newly arrived legal migrants for the MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccine, the same check is not possible for individuals entering the country under the radar.
Public health officials are warning that the outbreak could persist. So far, over 20 people in the state have been hospitalized with the measles, with one child in West Texas succumbing to the disease.
“Due to the number of suspect cases that we have right now, we do expect more confirmed cases to occur in this outbreak,” said Dr. Jennifer Shuford, the commissioner of the state health department, per NBC DFW.
“We know other outbreaks that have happened in the last 10 years across the United States have lasted months. Some as short as two and a half months, but the one in New York lasted around 10 and a half months.”
Shuford warned that 90% of unvaccinated Texans may become infected if exposed to the highly contagious virus. She said counties or school districts with vaccination rates under 95% risk experiencing an outbreak. According to NBC, numerous North Texas counties and school districts would meet this criterion.
“We’re seeing outbreaks of diseases that we thought were relegated to the pages of history, hospitalized and killing some of our youngest Texans,” Rep. VanDeaver (R- New Boston) said at the opening of the Texas House Committee of Public Health on Monday morning.
To help fight the outbreak, Gov. Greg Abbott’s office has reportedly deployed epidemiologists, immunization teams, and specimen collection teams to affected regions around the state, per NBC.