Health officials report 54 measles cases and surge of vaccinations in New Mexico

More New Mexicans are getting measles vaccinations this year even as the number of illnesses in the state continues to increase, the New Mexico Department of Health said Friday.

The number of confirmed measles cases in the state has climbed to 54, the vast majority among unvaccinated New Mexicans, the agency said. All but two cases are in Lea County, with the remaining two in Eddy County.

The New Mexico cases coincide with a large measles outbreak in West Texas, where 481 cases have been confirmed since late February, Texas health officials reported Friday. About two-thirds of the Texas cases have occurred in Gaines County, which borders Lea County.

The outbreak has resulted in a surge of New Mexicans getting the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine.

From Feb. 1 to April 3, about 15,700 New Mexicans have gotten the MMR vaccine, or nearly double the 8,472 administered during the same period last year, DOH said. Two doses of the vaccine are 97% effective against the highly infectious disease.

“We are grateful for the response New Mexicans have had in getting their measles vaccination over these last two months,” said Dr. Miranda Durham, chief medical officer for the DOH. “Without it, measles outbreaks are more likely to last longer and increase over time.”

Despite the uptick in vaccinations, new measles cases have continued to persist in southeast New Mexico. On March 7, the Department of Health reported 30 confirmed cases, all in Lea County.

Among those cases is a deceased Lea County resident who tested positive for measles. Texas officials last month reported the measles death of a child at a Lubbock hospital.

As of Thursday, 607 cases of measles had been reported nationwide this year, more than twice the 285 cases reported in all of 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

Measles is extremely contagious. In enclosed spaces, the virus can stay in the air for two hours after an infected person has left.

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.

People who experience those symptoms should contact a doctor or emergency department by phone to plan a visit. You can also call the Department of Health nurse helpline at 833-796-8773.