United States: The recent release of data shows that the western Texas outbreak of measles has reached 309 cases, including 30 additional cases from the past three days.
The number of Texas cases identified within two months has exceeded the total confirmed cases in the United States during the entire last year, when 285 US patients were affected, according to counts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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The majority of people with measles or unknown vaccination status are unvaccinated against the disease. According to data provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), at least forty people required hospitalization.
People who received the complete measles mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination have developed measles only twice.
Cases among children aged 5 to 17 make up most of the 130 total, while 102 cases affect children younger than 4 years old.
First US death in decades
The United States declared two fatalities associated with measles during this year, although medical authorities are investigating one and have confirmed the other.
A deceased school-aged child from Texas without appropriate vaccination was confirmed through authorities.
The Texas Department of State Health Services verified that the unvaccinated deceased child had no documented health complications.
The Centers for Disease Control recorded this recent death as the first national death from measles in the past ten years.
The death of a New Mexico resident who died after testing positive for measles remains under investigation by the authorities because the individual did not receive the vaccination.
The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) continues to explore the reasons why the patient died.
The NMDOH has reported 38 measles cases across New Mexico since the beginning of this year. Lea County in New Mexico has confirmed most of the recorded cases even though it lies adjacent to western Texas.