Texas and New Mexico on Friday reported 59 cases in addition to measles for a total of 228 known infections in the states where a outbreak started in West Texas at the end of January, causing deaths in the first decade of the United States.
The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in its first health warning to doctors on the outbreak that the risk for widespread measles in the US was lower due to strong vaccination and monitoring programs and outbreak reaction capacity.
The agency stated that measles, kanthamala, and rubella (MMR) remains the most important tool to prevent the vaccine measles, adding all the American inhabitants born after 1957 should have either been vaccinated or there should be immune by confirmation of the laboratory of the disease.
According to state health department data, in Texas, measles cases increased to 39 by 7 March. These included 30 new cases in Ganes County, now a total of 137. A week ago, the state reported death from measles of an untouched child who had no underlying health concern.
In New Mexico, on Thursday, on Friday, there were 30 in cases when the state also reported that an adult who was killed was positively tested for measles. The medical examiner was still investigating the case, its first measles-related death.
The largest measles outbreak in a decade is the first major challenge for American Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior, a long -time vaccine scaptic.
In a cabinet meeting last week, Kennedy initially reduced the news that a school-class child died of measles, such outbreaks were called normal and failed to mention the role of vaccination to stop measles.
In the weekend, Kennedy published an opinion piece Fox News This promoted the role of vaccination, but also stated that vaccination was a personal choice and urged people to consult their doctor.
He has said that in addition to vaccines, CDC has sent vitamin A for outbreak, shown in those who are malnourished and vitamin deficiency.
The CDC stated in its alert that doctors and public health authorities should be cautious to patients who show symptoms of measles such as fever and rash.
American representative New Jersey’s Frank Palon, Diana Degate of Colorado and Yaveve Clarke of New York, all Democrats, called for a Congress supervision to watch the rapidly spreading measles outbreak.
