There are reports of 135 measles cases in Texas, mostly at detention facilities along the border, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Two cases were reported at the South Texas Family Residentia
At least 136 measles cases have been reported in Texas this year. The vast majority of them are in federal detention facilities, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.The largest concentration — 99 cases — is in a single federal detention facility in Hudspeth County, as of March 11, said DSHS spokesperson Lara Anton.
Hudspeth County Judge Joanna MacKenzie told The Texas Tribune that all cases are at the West Texas Detention Facility, which is managed by LaSalle Corrections, a private company. The facility has previously housed immigrant detainees, though it’s not clear if it still does. It does not appear on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s list of detention facilities. “Not having jurisdiction, my office is not involved in response,” MacKenzie added in a statement, “however I remain in communication with DSHS and LaSalle, as I regularly do.” LaSalle Corrections didn’t immediately respond to a comment request, including a question about whether the West Texas Detention Facility still houses any immigrant detainees. Anton also said two measles cases have been reported in a Frio County detention facility in South Texas. In late January, the federal government confirmed two cases at the South Texas Family Residential Center, the country’s only ICE facility holding children and their parents, in Dilley. In addition, Anton said there were another 15 cases in El Paso County. El Paso city officials have previously said one of the cases is in the county jail while 14 cases were at Camp East Montana, the nation’s largest immigration detention facility. Anton declined to provide further details about any of the cases in detention facilities, referring questions to the Department of Homeland Security instead. A federal agency official said in an emailed statement that there were no active measles cases at Camp East Montana as of March 17, while redirecting the Tribune back to the DSHS for information on all the other cases in Texas. Measles — which is particularly dangerous to unvaccinated children, pregnant women and immunocompromised adults — is highly contagious and has a long incubation period. Infectious disease experts stress that investigations are important to determine how the infections happened and how to stop the spread. Unlike last year’s historic measles outbreak, state officials have not been providing detailed information on how they have been responding to the current cases, including on contact tracing, vaccine response or providing demographic information on infected individuals and the number of hospitalizations. Another DSHS spokesperson, Chris Van Deusen, previously told the Tribune that the “state’s role inside federal facilities is very limited.” Beyond measles, two cases of tuberculosis and 18 cases of COVID-19 were also detected at a troubled El Paso ICE detention tent camp in early February. Advocates and lawmakers have called for its closure, calling inadequate medical care one of their biggest concerns.“ICE provides comprehensive medical care, including access to vaccines, medical, dental, and mental health services, as well as medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care,” according to the agency's statement. “This is the best healthcare than many aliens have received in their entire lives.” Besides the 116 cases reported in detention facilities, another 20 cases have been reported in El Paso, Bexar, Bandera, Kendall, Lubbock and Rockwall counties, according to DSHS. Those people became infected from international travel, domestic travel, or they contracted it in the community, according to the state health agency. It’s not clear whether those who contracted measles due the latter two reasons were because they were in contact with anyone inside the detention facilities.An El Paso spokesperson previously told the Tribune that the community cases and the infections in the ICE facility are not connected, but didn’t explain how the city is conducting contact tracing. It’s also not clear whether DHS has conducted an investigation in response to measles cases at any of the ICE facilities, as the department has not responded to repeated questions the Tribune previously sent. A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson also directed questions to DHS, when contacted by the Tribune over the infections at Camp East Montana. At 136 cases, Texas is among states with the highest number of reported measles cases this year, behind South Carolina which has had 664 cases so far this year and Utah which has had 231 cases. Outbreaks in those states have been ongoing since last year.Woman accused of trafficking nearly 500 pounds of meth, arrested during traffic stop WACO, Texas - A woman from Roma has made her first appearance in federal court in Waco after investigators accused her of trafficking large amounts of drugs aloSAN ANTONIO - The capital murder trial is underway for a man accused of killing a pregnant teen, her boyfriend, and their unborn son just hours before he was supposed to be delivered.Christopher Preciado was arrested andSAN ANTONIO - Two people have been hospitalized with serious injuries after a mjaor crash on the West Side.Around 6:40 p.m. on Tuesday, police were investigatiSAN ANTONIO — The United Farm Workers addressed what they call “deeply troubling” allegations involving late co-founder Cesar Chavez and the abuse of young womePORT ARANSAS, Texas - A 17-year-old suspect from San Antonio accused in the Port Aransas beach shooting that sent five people to the hospital made his first court appearance Monday, where his total bond was set at $500,0
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