Health officials report additional Eddy County measles case

New Mexico Health officials reported one additional New Mexico measles case Friday, this time an adult in Eddy County, bringing the total reported infections to 66.

The slow drip of cases in recent weeks does not indicate the outbreak is abating, according to New Mexico Department of Health Communications Director Robert Nott, who told Source NM that symptoms can appear a week or more after infections.

“The seemingly slow increase in measles cases in New Mexico should not be taken as a sign we are anywhere near out of the woods with this outbreak,” Nott said in a written statement. “We see continued measles spread in bordering areas — Mexico and Texas, for example — so there is always the potential for a new introduction of cases in New Mexico.”

Nott also noted that cases may rise in coming weeks after recent Easter weekend gatherings, given that “symptoms of measles do not appear until roughly a week (or more) after infection.”

The majority of measles cases in New Mexico remain in Lea County, which has 61 cases; the state has had six hospitalizations since the outbreak began in neighboring Gaines County, Texas, just across the state line. Cases in Doña Ana and Chaves counties remain unchanged, with one reported case each.

Texas health officials on Friday reported cases increased by an additional 22 infections, bringing the total there to 646.

Measles is highly contagious, spread through contact with airborne droplets from an infected person. Infected people can spread the disease several days before symptoms such as fever, red eyes, cough or spotty red rash appear. Two doses of the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine offers 97% protection against catching the measles, according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control.

While the majority of health professionals continue to recommend two doses of the vaccine as the safest and most effective prevention from contracting measles, a recent poll from nonpartisan health research organization KFF found nearly a quarter of their sample believed false claims about the vaccine.

Poll: Belief in false measles claims correlated with lower vaccination rates

Also this week, researchers from Stanford Medicine published findings that determined if vaccination rates drop further, measles (and other infectious diseases) could return in the U.S. after decades of eradication. Using a mathematical model to simulate the spread of diseases, researchers also found that if vaccination rates remain the same, measles may still make a comeback in the next two decades.

Pediatrician Dr. Melissa Mason told Source NM she sees a measles comeback as a matter of potential life and death.

“With vaccination rates as they stand, without dropping more, we’re still gonna see people get measles — get sick and die from this,” she said.

Mason, who chairs the immunization committee for the New Mexico Pediatric Society, said she’s been impressed with efforts from New Mexico health officials to vaccinate people in the Southeastern corner of the state. Statewide vaccination rates are nearly double from the same time frame last year, according to data released Tuesday.

“These are gold star efforts, and that’s going to make a difference,” she said. “But nationally, in other areas that continue to have lower rates than 95% coverage, we’re going to continue to see measles.”

Julia Goldberg contributed to the reporting of this story.