The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today that its investigators are partnering with the Texas State Department of Health Services (TSDHS) to respond to the measles outbreak in west Texas.
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On X, the CDC said the partnership, called Epi-Aid, involves Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officers, which provide on-site support for 1 to 3 weeks to help quickly control health threats while led by local authorities.
“The measles outbreak in Texas is a call to action for all of us to reaffirm our commitment to public health,” Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, said in the CDC statement. “By working together -- parents, healthcare providers, community leaders, and government officials, we can prevent future outbreaks and protect the health of our nation.”
Thirteen more cases confirmed
Meanwhile, the TSDHS today reported 13 more measles cases, raising the outbreak total to 159. So far, 22 patients have been hospitalized, and the number of deaths remains at 1. The number of affected counties, located in the state’s South Plains area in the west, remains at nine, with most reported from Gaines County, which has been the outbreak epicenter.
Of the 159 cases, 80 are unvaccinated and 74 have an unknown vaccination status. Five patients had received at least one dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
In neighboring Lea County, New Mexico, the number of measles cases remained at 9, according to the latest update from the New Mexico Department of Health.