The recent Texas measles outbreak, which affected 762 individuals since the end of January, has officially come to an end, according to state health officials. The outbreak had not seen any new confirmed cases in the affected counties for over 42 days, meeting the criteria for declaring the outbreak over. The most recent case related to the outbreak occurred on July 1, as per state data.
Tragically, two young children in Texas lost their lives to the measles earlier this year, and a total of 100 people were hospitalized during the outbreak. The cases were linked to outbreaks originating in Canada and Mexico, eventually spreading to other states in the U.S.
Although the outbreak has been declared over, state health officials will continue to monitor for any new cases. Prior to this outbreak, measles cases were rare in Texas, with most doctors having little to no experience treating the virus, as stated by Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner Jennifer Shuford.
Shuford attributed the successful containment of the outbreak to a combination of testing, vaccination efforts, ongoing monitoring, and education.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that presents with a rash, respiratory symptoms, and can lead to severe complications or even death. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the most effective means of prevention and is recommended for young children before they enter school.
The efforts of public health professionals across the state were instrumental in containing one of the most contagious viruses, Shuford acknowledged in a statement.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is responsible for all content.
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