Texas and New Mexico on Tuesday reported an increase of 28 cases of measles in the last five days, bringing the total known infections to 256 in the two states since an outbreak began in late January.
The outbreak, which started in West Texas, caused the first U.S. measles deaths in a decade. It has also proved to be the first major challenge for U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic.
As of March 11, cases reported in Texas rose to 223 from 198 on March 7 and hospitalizations rose to 29 from 23.
In Gaines County, the center of the outbreak, infections increased to 156 from 137 as of March 7, the Texas Department of State Health Services said.
In New Mexico, cases rose from 30 to 33 on Tuesday, including one case in Eddy County where none had been reported. The remaining cases were reported in Lea County, which is located adjacent to Gaines County.
Last week, the state reported that an unvaccinated adult who had died tested positive for measles. Medical examiners were still investigating the case, its first measles-related death. More here