(Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
New Mexico health officials warned Tuesday that a Texas traveler potentially exposed people to measles in Guadalupe and Valencia counties last week at a gas station, hotel, restaurant and a church.
The exposures occurred over two days from March 8-10, health officials said. Measles is an airborne, highly contagious respiratory disease, spread through contact with droplets from an infected person’s coughs or sneezes. The airborne particles can hang around for hours.
The advisory listed the following locations and times for potential measles exposure:
- 2-4:30 pm, March 8: TA Travel Center, 2634 U.S. Route 66 in Santa Rosa
- March 8-9: Days Inn by Wyndham on 1919 Main Street in Los Lunas Noon to 3:30 p.m.
- Noon to 3:30 p.m.,March 9: Sopa’s Restaurant at 1700 Bosque Farms Boulevard in Bosque Farms
- 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., March 10: Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 3674 NM-47 in Peralta
State health officials said vaccination remains the best protection against one of the most infectious diseases in the world.
“Recent measles cases in Texas and New Mexico are a reminder to stay vigilant,” NMDOH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Miranda Durham said in a written statement. “When someone with measles travels, the virus can spread to unprotected communities—particularly during high-travel periods like spring break. Vaccination is our strongest defense: one dose of vaccine is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective.”
Measles symptoms can appear anywhere from one to three weeks after exposure and include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a red spotty rash. Serious complications can develop, including brain swelling, blindness, pneumonia and death. One in five cases requires hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control.
In addition to the exposure advisory, New Mexico health officials reported an additional three measles cases Tuesday, all in Lea County, bringing the statewide total to 38 cases.
Two hospitalizations remain in Lea County, but health officials have not released additional information about them, citing health privacy laws.
New Mexico Department of Health said a death announced March 6, a Lea County unvaccinated adult remains under investigation. Eddy County stands at two cases, with no new ones reported today.
In total, New Mexico’s measles cases include seven children aged 0 to 4; 10 children aged 7 to 17; 20 infections in adults; and one case still pending. The majority of case
Texas health officials reported an additional 20 infections Tuesday, bringing the total cases there to 279. The majority of cases stemmed from the Gaines County, Texas outbreak. Most of the infections struck unvaccinated children. One six-year old Texas child has died. The outbreak spread to Oklahoma last week, and health officials report four cases there.
Vaccine Information
New Mexico Department of Health officials urged anyone exposed who is unvaccinated or unsure to check their records and monitor for symptoms. If symptoms develop, NMDOH said people should isolate and call either a healthcare provider or the NMDOH Helpline at 1-833-796-8773 to schedule a measles test. The helpline is staffed by nurses who can answer questions in English or Spanish about measles testing and vaccinations.
Check vaccine records at Vax View website or call the Department of Health’s immunization program at 1-833-882-6454, available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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This post was originally authored and published by Danielle Prokop from via RSS Feed. to get your news feed on Nationwide Report®.
