First Doña Ana County measles case reported

State health officials on Tuesday reported the first case of measles in Doña Ana County, bringing to 63 the total number of illnesses in four New Mexico counties.

An unvaccinated child in Doña Ana County was among four new cases announced Tuesday, the New Mexico Department of Health said.

The other three cases were diagnosed in unvaccinated people in Lea County, the agency said. Measles cases have now been diagnosed in four counties: Chaves, Doña Ana, Eddy and Lea.

The Department of Health recommends the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine for infants ages 6 to 11 months who live in Doña Ana County or plan to travel to counties where infections have occurred.

“Given how contagious measles is we expected it to find its way from El Paso County in Texas to neighboring Doña Ana County,” said Dr. Miranda Durham, the agency’s chief medical officer. “No matter where you live in New Mexico, make sure you and your family are up-to-date with your vaccinations.”

The outbreak has resulted in a spike in vaccinations in New Mexico, where 18,449 vaccinations were administered from Feb. 1 to April 14. That compares with fewer than 9,900 vaccinations during the same period in 2024.

Symptoms start with a cough, runny nose and eye redness and then progress to fever and rash. The rash starts on the head and spreads down the body. Anyone with symptoms or who believes they were exposed to measles is asked to call the NMDOH helpline at 833-796-8773.

The New Mexico cases coincide with a large measles outbreak in West Texas, where 561 cases have been confirmed since late February, Texas health officials reported Tuesday. About two-thirds of the Texas cases have occurred in Gaines County, which borders Lea County. Seven cases have been reported in El Paso County.

Texas officials have reported two fatalities among unvaccinated school-aged children who lived in the outbreak area. The children were not vaccinated and had no known underlying conditions.

The two public health offices in Las Cruces offer walk-in MMR vaccinations without appointments. Hours and locations are:

• Mondays, 1-3 p.m. and Fridays, 9-11 a.m. at the Las Cruces Public Health Office, 1170 N. Solano Drive. Call 575-528-5001 for more information.
• Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. at the Las Cruces East Mesa Public Health Office, 5220 Holman Road. For more information, call 575-382-0540.