A measles outbreak has been detected in Gaines County, Texas, where 24 cases have been diagnosed to date, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Of those affected, 16 are school-aged children, 6 are minors aged 0 to 4 years, and 2 are adults over 18 years old. Nine people have required hospitalization due to this highly contagious disease that spreads through respiratory droplets from an infected person when coughing, sneezing, or simply breathing in a closed space.
The symptoms of measles include fever, cough, red eyes, tearing, and a characteristic rash of red spots on the skin. The disease is highly contagious, being transmissible up to four days before the rash appears and up to four days afterward. Serious complications can include encephalitis, pneumonia, deafness, intellectual disability, and even death, especially in at-risk groups such as pregnant women.
In light of this outbreak, the DSHS is urging the population to get vaccinated against measles, recommending that residents of Gaines County follow a vaccination schedule that includes two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for babies aged 6 to 11 months, as well as for children over 1 year old, teenagers, and adults without vaccination history.
The DSHS is also working in collaboration with the South Plains Public Health District and the Lubbock Public Health Department to investigate and contain this measles outbreak. Vaccination is considered the best way to prevent the disease, as two doses of the MMR vaccine are sufficient to protect against the highly contagious virus.