Adrian Hedden
Carlsbad Current-Argus
achedden@currentargus.com

Eddy County saw its first case of measles amid an outbreak that reportedly started in Lea County and tripled last week from 10 to 33 infections as of Tuesday.

The viral outbreak caused at least one Lea County adult’s death and continued to spread, as health officials increased their investigations to uncover more cases of the disease.

Health officials believe the outbreak started Feb. 9 with infections spreading from West Texas after originating in Gaines County and reaching to several other Texas counties.

As of Monday, Lea and Eddy counties were the only in New Mexico where infections were reported. On March 6 a deceased adult in Lea County tested positive for the virus, although the official cause of death was yet to be announced by the Office of the Medical Investigator.

There was one case in Eddy County as of Tuesday, and 32 people infected in Lea County, the New Mexico Department of Health reported. Health officials said 27 patients were not vaccinated. The vaccination status of the other five was unknown.

Health officials said five of those infected were ages 0-4, eight were in the 5-17 age range and 18 infections involved adults 18 and older. The age of the other two people infected had not been determined.

The Health Department said the increase reflected test results from its Scientific Laboratory Division, along with discoveries made during the investigations of groups or families that already had known infections.

Many of the cases were found “retrospectively,” read a Health Department news release, and detected only after patients had recovered.

“The large majority of Lea County residents are vaccinated and well-protected even if they come into contact with the virus,” said Miranda Durham, the health department’s chief medical officer in a statement issued with the news release.

“Most confirmed measles cases involve people unvaccinated and have occurred over an extended period of time.”

The outbreak started, health officials now believe, when 14 people were infected with measles between Feb. 9 and 14. Another six infections occurred between Feb. 16 and 22, followed by six from Feb. 23 to March 1, and four between March 2 and 8.

How to prevent the spread

A free vaccination was planned for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 13 at the Carlsbad Public Health Office at 1306 W. Stevens St.

The New Mexico Department of Health advised that measles is “extremely contagious.” Symptoms of measles can begin with a cough, runny nose and eye redness before the patient develops the telltale red skin rash, which usually begins at the head and spreads down to the body and extremities.

An infected person can spread the disease four days before and four days after the rash develops, while the virus can stay in the air for two hours after an infected person leaves an enclosed space such as a room.

Anyone experiencing symptoms should call their doctor to report they are concerned about measles and schedule a visit, read the news release. Guidance can also be provided in English or Spanish by the Health Department at 1-833-SWNURSE (1-833-796-8773).

Measles vaccines are available and can provide lifetime protection, read the release. The vaccines are 93% effective with one dose and 97% effective with two doses, the release said.

Texas outbreak grows to almost 200 cases

Gaines County, Texas – where the measles outbreak began – continued to lead that state with 137 cases reported as of March 7, according to the latest data from the Texas Department of Health Services. Terry County had 29 reported cases.

Single digit infections were reported in Dallam, Dawson, Ector, Lubbock, Lynn, Marin and Yoakum counties. An unvaccinated school-aged child was reported to have died in a Lubbock hospital. In total, 198 infections were reported in Texas as of March 7.