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LUBBOCK, TX – The measles outbreak gripping West Texas has intensified, with the total number of cases climbing past 500 this week, according to public health officials. A concerning cluster of infections has emerged at a day care facility in Lubbock, affecting several children, including some too young to have received full vaccination.
As of Tuesday, the state reported 505 confirmed measles cases since the outbreak began its rapid spread in late January. The geographic scope has also widened, with Texas health authorities expanding the number of affected counties to ten, including the recent additions of Borden and Randall counties. The highly contagious virus has reportedly spread beyond state lines into New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Mexico.
Tragically, the outbreak has claimed three lives this year among unvaccinated individuals. Two of these deaths were elementary school-aged children in Texas. The second child passed away last Thursday at a Lubbock hospital. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attended the child’s funeral in Seminole, located in Gaines County, which remains the epicenter of the outbreak with 328 cases reported as of Tuesday. Neighboring Terry County has reported 46 cases, followed by Lubbock County with 36.
The situation at the Lubbock day care highlights the virus’s virulence. Lubbock Public Health Director Katherine Wells confirmed Friday that seven cases were linked to the facility. An initial infectious child transmitted the virus to two others before it spread further within the center, which enrolls over 200 children.
“Measles is so contagious I won’t be surprised if it enters other facilities,” Wells stated, underscoring the challenge of containment.
While most children at the affected day care have received at least one dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, the outbreak is impacting even partially vaccinated individuals. “We do have some children that have only received one dose that are now infected,” Wells noted.
In response, the Lubbock Public Health department is urging parents to ensure children with only one MMR dose receive their second dose early. Furthermore, they have adjusted their guidance for Lubbock County, recommending the first MMR dose be administered at 6 months of age, rather than the standard 12-15 months, for the duration of the outbreak.Unvaccinated children attending the affected day care are required to stay home for 21 days following their last potential exposure.
Case numbers and hospitalizations have risen steadily, with a significant jump of 81 cases recorded between March 28 and April 4. As of Tuesday, 57 individuals have required hospitalization due to measles complications, an increase of one since Friday.
Federal assistance is being mobilized, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirming plans to deploy personnel to West Texas. Following meetings with state officials on Monday, a small CDC team was expected later this week, with a larger contingent anticipated next week to bolster the outbreak response.CDC spokesman Jason McDonald noted that an initial CDC team had provided on-the-ground support from early March until April 1.
(Reporter Amanda Seitz in Washington contributed to the report this article is based on.)
Disclaimer: This news article was generated based on information sourced from an automated news agency feed. The core details have been synthesized and presented in a news format, but the text was originally provided by an external source and has not been independently verified by us beyond the provided text.
