A rise in cases of measles has hit a rural area in and around Gaines County, in Texas, where the measles vaccination rate is low.
The Texas Department of State Health Services reported that there were six confirmed cases on Wednesday.
As of Friday, the outbreak had jumped to 14 confirmed cases and six probable cases, Zach Holbrooks, the executive director of the South Plains Public Health District, which serves the area, told CNN.
Newsweek has contacted the South Plains Public Health District, via email, for comment.
Why It Matters
Measles, an airborne disease, is an extremely infectious illness that can be especially dangerous for infants, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, with the potential to cause serious and even deathly complications.
It can spread rapidly in communities with low vaccination rates, and initially results in symptoms including a high fever, a cough, a runny nose, and red or watery eyes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
What To Know
The cases have been identified in Gaines County and in parts of the region that fall outside of county lines.
Most of them are children and all of them are thought to be among people who have not have not been vaccinated with the measles-mumps-rubella shot, Holbrooks said.
For the 2023-24 school year, 82 percent of kindergartners in Gaines County public schools were up to date with their vaccines, according to state data.
This is lower than the 95 percent vaccination rate required for herd immunity, according to the CDC, and makes Gaines County part of the 10 with the lowest vaccine coverage in the state.
The county has an 18 percent vaccine exemption rate, which “allows for an exemption from immunizations for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief.”
What People Are Saying
The South Plains Public Health District’s Dr. Jamie Felberg said: “Measles is a serious yet preventable disease. Staying up to date on vaccinations is the most effective way to safeguard yourself, your loved ones, and the community from this highly contagious illness. With these recent cases, it’s more important than ever to ensure your immunizations are current.”
Holbrooks told Ars Technica: “We’re trying to get out the message about how important vaccination is.”
What Happens Next
In its Friday alert, the Department of State Health Services wrote that, due to the highly contagious nature of the disease, “additional cases are likely to occur in Gaines County and the surrounding communities,” adding that the agency is working with local health officials to investigate the rapid rise.
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