Mexican authorities have reported that the measles outbreak in West Texas, which began earlier this year, has now reached the northern state of Chihuahua.
“We are not on alert, we have not declared an emergency; but we are concerned, and we are working hard because measles can spread anywhere in the state,” Dr. Rogelio Covarrubias, head of the Chihuahua Health Department, said.
Most cases were detected in the Mennonite communities north of Cuauhtemoc, 270 miles south of El Paso, Texas. Authorities have confirmed 15 measles cases in a Mennonite community in western Chihuahua. A 16th case has been confirmed in the city of Namiquipa.
Because measles is so contagious, at least 90% of a community must be vaccinated to prevent outbreaks, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends.
Mexican officials are worried because there isn’t an accurate count of how many adults in Mexico’s Mennonite communities are immunized against measles. However, children enrolled in Mexican schools usually get the vaccine.
In Chihuahua, the overall vaccination rate is 75%.
The Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Care, Irma Leticia de Jesús Ruiz González, called on parents to complete their children’s vaccination schedules, and urged adults under 39 years of age to get the measles vaccine if they have not received it.
“It’s essential to recognize that the vaccine is a preventative measure,” Ruiz noted, adding that the vaccine is currently available at all health centers across the various institutions.
Measles is a highly contagious disease characterized by high fever, rash, and, in some cases, respiratory complications that can be fatal. An infected person can transmit the virus to between 16 and 18 people, fueling the rapid spread, explained Dr. Ruiz.
According to the Associated Press, the U.S. outbreak began in a Mennonite community in West Texas with low vaccination rates.
“Many of the children are homeschooled or attend smaller private schools, and many are unvaccinated,” Bill Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center, said.
Chihuahua health authorities believe residents who have family in Texas or who traveled there, carried the illness back home.
West Texas and New Mexico communities have reported over 250 cases. Two unvaccinated individuals have died from measles-related causes, including an unvaccinated school-aged child. Up until Tuesday, 29 people in Texas remained hospitalized due to measles.
As of March 10, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 32,488 suspected cases and 16,144 cumulative cases worldwide, mainly in Yemen (7,548) India (6,661) Thailand (6,224) and Ethiopia (4,596).
With reports from El Diario de Chihuahua, Border Report, El Heraldo de Chihuahua
