Measles cases have surged in Texas and New Mexico, with a total of 294 cases reported, surpassing last year’s U.S. total. The outbreak, which began in late January in West Texas, has seen an increase of 38 cases in the last three days alone. Most of the cases are centered in Gaines County, Texas, with 34 patients hospitalized so far. New Mexico has also seen a rise in cases, with two “probable” cases reported in Oklahoma. A virologist noted that it’s still unclear if the outbreak is spreading beyond these states, but the continuous increase in cases is cause for concern. The CDC emphasizes the importance of the MMR vaccine in preventing measles, as a majority of patients were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status. Side effects of the vaccine are typically mild, including a sore arm or fever. The outbreak poses a significant challenge for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has previously expressed skepticism about vaccines.
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