The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting an outbreak of measles cases in Gaines County within the last two weeks. Eight of the 10 cases involved school-aged children.
Officials at the Texas Department of State Health Services warn there is a growing measles outbreak involving school-aged children. The report said that 10 cases have been identified in Gaines County and eight of the cases are school-aged children, of which two are under the age of 5. All were unvaccinated cases, said officials.
Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in Gaines County and the surrounding communities,' the alert said. Seven of the cases have been hospitalized, according to the Texas DSHS. The rise in cases comes more than two decades after measles was reported eliminated by health agencies in 2000. This week’s alert went on to advise that additional cases are likely to occur soon. US MEASLES CASES ARE UP IN 2024.
Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in Gaines County and the surrounding communities,' they said. Officials urged people to immediately report any suspected cases to their local health department with the infected person in their presence. DSHS said the virus can be transmitted through direct contact with infectious droplets or airborne and spread when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes.
Vaccination is the best way for people to avoid infection from measles and other preventable diseases, the advisory said. 'Children too young to be vaccinated are more likely to have severe complications if they get infected with the measles virus,' DSHS said. The report claims that each MMR dose lowers the risk of infection and the severity of illness if infected. For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.
In January, the Houston Health Department confirmed two cases of measles, prompting a health alert from the state. They were the first cases in Texas since 2023. Both cases were unvaccinated adults who had traveled internationally.
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