By Matt Leclercq, Fort Value Star-Telegram
A second baby with measles in Texas has died.
The New York Instances reported Sunday that information it obtained confirmed an 8-year-old lady died Thursday of “measles pulmonary failure” at a hospital in Lubbock, the place there have been at the very least 33 confirmed infections for the reason that outbreak started in January.
The primary baby died in Lubbock in February.
Texas well being authorities stated Friday that the state’s outbreak had grown to 481 confirmed circumstances in 19 counties, with at the very least 59 new infections final week. A 3rd of the circumstances have been in youngsters 4 years previous or youthful. Almost the entire sufferers have been unvaccinated, although a complete of 10 folks have contracted measles after having obtained at the very least one dose of vaccine.
Tarrant County well being officers issued a warning Friday that somebody who later examined optimistic for the virus had visited Grapevine between March 28 and March 30. The contaminated individual was contagious after they visited the Nice Wolf Lodge lodge and water park. The individual additionally visited Grapevine Mills Mall on March 29, walked across the mall and ate on the meals courtroom.
As of final week, there had been no confirmed measles infections in Tarrant County or elsewhere within the Metroplex. However the virus is among the most contagious pathogens. Signs can seem seven to 14 days after publicity. The virus can linger within the air in a room so long as two hours after a sick individual was there.
The most typical signs are excessive fever, cough, conjunctivitis and rash, with severe issues together with ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia and encephalitis.
Anybody who was at both of the Grapevine places March 28-30 and is unvaccinated or not sure of their vaccination standing is liable to contracting measles, Tarrant officers stated. Those that are pregnant or immunocompromised and unvaccinated ought to contact their well being care supplier instantly, officers stated.
Tarrant County well being authorities have warned that there’s a “high risk” of measles circumstances right here resulting from decrease vaccination charges. The virus is so contagious that if one individual has it, as much as 9 out of 10 folks close by will turn out to be contaminated if they’re unvaccinated.
One of the best ways to guard in opposition to measles is with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% efficient at stopping measles; one dose is about 93% efficient, in line with the Facilities for Illness Management & Prevention.
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Initially Printed: April 6, 2025 at 11:52 AM PDT
