New Mexico Faces Growing Measles Outbreak with Second Fatality

livewell
March 11, 2025
Noah Bennett

An adult from Lea County, New Mexico who did not have any vaccinations has died after getting measles outbreak. Thus making this death the second in the United States connected to the ongoing outbreak. Before this adult, an unvaccinated child from Texas recently died as well, demonstrating the seriousness of this problem.

On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated in a column that “vaccines not just shield the individual child from measles infection, they shield the community, too.”

Health authorities consider measles prevention through public education about vaccinations as fundamental. However, according to New Mexico’s health officials, the outbreak has gotten bad enough to schedule free vaccinations for next week.

Measles Outbreak Spreads Across Texas and New Mexico

As of March 5, 2025, the outbreak has resulted in 169 confirmed cases across Texas and New Mexico. In New Mexico alone, ten cases have been reported, all in Lea County. Notably, seven of these individuals were unvaccinated, and the vaccination status of the remaining three is currently unknown.

Second U.S. Measles Death in a Decade

The New Mexico Health Department said the unvaccinated adult tested positive for measles after dying, making this the second measles death in the United States in a decade. The death happened in Lea County, where officials reported it as the 10th confirmed case of measles.

Lea County borders the epicenter of the measles outbreak in Gaines County in West Texas, where an unvaccinated school-aged child died in late February after nearly 160 people were identified as being infected by the highly contagious virus.

Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist, stopped short of calling for parents to vaccinate their children. “The decision to vaccinate is a personal one,” he wrote.

Understanding Measles and Its Transmission

Measles is a disease caused by a virus that spreads easily from person to person, primarily through the respiratory droplets released from a person who is either coughing or sneezing. This virus is capable of remaining suspended in air and still infectious for a potential two hours in a closed area.

Measles Symptoms and Complications

There are distinct signs that are typical of measles which include a nasty fever, coughing, runny nose, inflammation of the eyes, and a noticeable rash that usually begins on the face and then spreads to other areas.

The complications can be extremely harmful and may result in pneumonia, a deeper level of sickness, swelling of the brain tissue, and in the worst cases death. Furhtermore, they become extremely grave for young children or people with weak immune systems.

CDC Acts To Mitigate The Outbreak

The CDC has mobilized personnel into the field to help with the management of the measles outbreak. These activities may include enhanced campaigns to improve vaccination coverage, providing laboratory services, or giving out guidance to other health providers.

Most of the patients suffering from infection are those who have received no vaccine at all more particularly the one from New Mexico where they ridiculously left a dying unvaccinated man unattended until it was too late. Measles is to be blamed as the cause of death in a state for the first time in 40 years as per Health authorities of New Mexico trustees who said it’s sad that Americans are reluctant to get vaccinated.

New Vaccination Efforts

We would not like New Mexicans suffering from measles or dying from it,” reassured Dr. Chad Smelser, New Mexico’s Deputy State epidemiologist. New Mexico has taken a bold step in combating the disease by pushing out a new vaccination for measles for young children.

Robert F. Kennedy, the Health and Human Services Secretary, said it himself: “Ending the burden of measles outbreaks must be placed on the utmost importance and that is exactly why we prioritize it.” He mentioned that there is negligence noticed when it comes to public awareness and with the government vaccines provided, the spread could be controlled.

Actions Taken about the Measles Outbreak

Kennedy said the outbreak needed to be dealt with as soon as possible, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services took steps to broadcast the seriousness of the disease. He pointed out that there is federal support for the state vaccination campaigns and public understanding is crucial to stopping the disease from worsening.

Focus Shifts From Responding to Planning

Health officials have noted that the outbreak is ever-changing and public health warnings are needed to be taken to stop the spread of measles. The public should listen to reports from the health department and follow vaccination instructions so that they can protect themselves and the wider community.