Measles cases in West Texas continue to rise two months after the outbreak started, with local public health officials anticipating further spread for several more months. The official case count is likely underestimated. However, there is a positive note: more individuals in Texas and New Mexico have received the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination this year compared to last year, although the numbers are not as high as desired. Pharmacies, especially in Texas, are experiencing increased demand for MMR shots.
As of Friday, Texas reported 309 cases and one measles-related death, while New Mexico had 42 cases and one death. A total of 42 individuals have been hospitalized across both states. The outbreak in Texas, primarily affecting undervaccinated Mennonite communities, could last up to a year based on past studies of measles outbreaks in Amish communities. The public health department in Lubbock, Texas, is actively involved in responding to the outbreak.
The outbreak spans 14 counties in Texas, two in New Mexico, with four probable cases in Oklahoma linked to the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks. Measles is highly contagious, with a slow spread that makes containment challenging, and outbreaks can have multiple peaks.
Dr. William Moss from Johns Hopkins University warns that if the outbreak extends into next January, the U.S. may lose its status of having eliminated measles. Despite the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has cast doubt on the measles vaccine, causing concerns.
Vaccination rates have increased in Texas and New Mexico, but a concerted effort is needed to control the outbreak and prevent further spread.
The recent outbreak has impacted vaccination rates, particularly at the local level. Between February 1 and March 18 last year, the New Mexico Department of Health administered 6,500 measles vaccines. This year, during the same period, over 11,600 measles vaccines were given in New Mexico, with approximately half going to adults and half to children. The southeastern region of New Mexico, where the outbreak is centered, accounts for a significant portion of the total, with 2,369 doses administered.
In Texas, from January 1 to March 16, at least 173,000 measles doses were administered, compared to at least 158,000 doses during the same timeframe last year, according to the state health department. This includes over 340 doses administered by public health authorities in the West Texas outbreak area as of March 11.
Texans are required to opt-in to the state’s immunization registry, which means that many vaccinations may not be reflected in the official numbers reported by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Lara Anton, a spokesperson for the department, noted that it is unclear whether the increase in reported vaccinations is due to more people opting in or an actual rise in vaccination rates: “It may be both.”
Major pharmacy chains like Walgreens and CVS have reported a spike in demand for MMR vaccines nationwide, particularly in areas affected by outbreaks. Health officials in Texas are urging for greater vaccination uptake in communities at the center of the outbreak, particularly in Gaines County, where the childhood vaccination rate against measles stands at 82%—well below the 95% level needed to prevent community spread. This rate is likely even lower in small religious schools and homeschooling groups where early cases were identified.
Pharmacist Prasad Ganji in Seminole, the largest town in Gaines County, expressed challenges in vaccine uptake, despite ordering MMR vaccines as cases spread. While he can administer vaccines to individuals older than 14, there are still doses remaining. Ganji acknowledged the struggle in increasing vaccination rates in Gaines County, stating, “The uptake for vaccines has definitely been a struggle. I want to be honest about that.”
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