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Health officials declare end to measles outbreak in New Mexico
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State health officials declared an end to the measles outbreak Friday, closing a monthslong ordeal that began in February.
The outbreak, declared on Feb. 14, was considered over after 42 days without new cases — twice the virus’ maximum incubation period, the New Mexico Department of Health said. One hundred cases were reported in New Mexico over the seven-month period.
“We are thankful to the thousands of New Mexicans who received their measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine,” said Dr. Chad Smelser, NMDOH’s acting state epidemiologist. “Fully vaccinated people and those who got caught up with their vaccines during this outbreak prevented it from spreading further.”
The outbreak caught national attention earlier this year when Texas began reporting cases of measles in January in the western part of the state, before spilling over into New Mexico.
The first reported case in New Mexico was on Feb. 11, when an unvaccinated teenager in Lea County was confirmed with the viral illness, which typically begins with a cough, runny nose and red eyes before progressing to a fever and rash.
The last reported cases of measles came in August, when three Santa Fe County residents were diagnosed with the disease.
Measles cases have been reported in Lea, Eddy, Chaves, Doña Ana, Curry, Sandoval, San Juan, Luna and Santa Fe counties.
State health officials said the latest outbreak was New Mexico’s first since 1996 and its largest in decades, adding that 56,000 people received an MMR vaccine since February.
