<p>Measles cases in Texas and New Mexico have risen to 294 since an outbreak began in late January, surpassing all U.S. cases recorded in 2024.</p><p>The US reported 285 total infections last year, based on data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p><p>Cases in New Mexico and Texas increased by 38 in the last three days, data from the health departments of the two states showed on Friday.</p><p>There were 174 cases from Gaines county in Texas, the center of the outbreak, compared with 156 cases on March 11. So far, 34 patients have been hospitalized in the state.</p><p>In New Mexico, cases rose from 33 to 35 on Friday, including two cases in Eddy County and the rest in Lea County, which is adjacent to Gaines County.</p>.US records first measles death in decade as outbreak spreads. <p>An unvaccinated child with no underlying health conditions died of measles in Texas in February, marking the first death in the U.S. from the disease since 2015. Another death of an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico is under investigation.</p><p>The growing outbreak is the first major challenge for U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic.</p><p>The CDC has said that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the most important tool for preventing measles. The agency told doctors last week that the risk for widespread measles in the U.S. was low due to robust immunization, surveillance programs and the country's capacity to respond.</p><p>The Texas state health department classified 257 patients as "unvaccinated or unknown" on Friday, which includes people with no documented doses of measles vaccine more than 14 days before symptoms appeared.</p><p>After additional investigation, the Texas department said that three cases were previously misclassified as vaccinated.</p>
<p>Measles cases in Texas and New Mexico have risen to 294 since an outbreak began in late January, surpassing all U.S. cases recorded in 2024.</p><p>The US reported 285 total infections last year, based on data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p><p>Cases in New Mexico and Texas increased by 38 in the last three days, data from the health departments of the two states showed on Friday.</p><p>There were 174 cases from Gaines county in Texas, the center of the outbreak, compared with 156 cases on March 11. So far, 34 patients have been hospitalized in the state.</p><p>In New Mexico, cases rose from 33 to 35 on Friday, including two cases in Eddy County and the rest in Lea County, which is adjacent to Gaines County.</p>.US records first measles death in decade as outbreak spreads. <p>An unvaccinated child with no underlying health conditions died of measles in Texas in February, marking the first death in the U.S. from the disease since 2015. Another death of an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico is under investigation.</p><p>The growing outbreak is the first major challenge for U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic.</p><p>The CDC has said that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the most important tool for preventing measles. The agency told doctors last week that the risk for widespread measles in the U.S. was low due to robust immunization, surveillance programs and the country's capacity to respond.</p><p>The Texas state health department classified 257 patients as "unvaccinated or unknown" on Friday, which includes people with no documented doses of measles vaccine more than 14 days before symptoms appeared.</p><p>After additional investigation, the Texas department said that three cases were previously misclassified as vaccinated.</p>