As of Tuesday, 505 confirmed cases of measles had been reported across the state of Texas, including new clusters at a daycare center in Lubbock County. The outbreak, which started in late January, has spread to 10 counties and has hit New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, and northern Mexico.
This year, three Texans have died from complications linked to measles. None of them had been vaccinated. At least two of them were elementary school-aged kids. One of them died last Thursday at a hospital in Lubbock. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health, went to the child's funeral in Seminole, which was the center of the spread.
Seven cases have been recorded at Lubbock's Tiny Tots U Learning Academy. Some children are too young to have had all of their measles shots. Katherine Wells, director of public health for Lubbock, says that one sick kid brought the virus into the school and quickly spread it to other students.
Wells said, "Measles is so contagious that I won't be surprised if it spreads to other buildings."
More than 200 kids are at the daycare, and most of them have had at least one dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. But now, some people who only got one dose have tested positive. In answer, health officials have changed their advice and now say:
In some affected places, the number of people who have been vaccinated is still below the 95% level needed for herd immunity. The rate for kindergarteners in Gaines County is 82%. The numbers are likely lower for private and homeschooled students.
The latest updates per county are as follows:
Health officials say the outbreak is worsening, as 81 more cases have been reported in the last week alone.
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