Santa Fe Standard

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has confirmed that a deceased resident from Lea County tested positive for measles. The individual, who was unvaccinated, did not seek medical care before passing away. The cause of death is currently under investigation by the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator.

Measles is known as a highly contagious respiratory illness that can lead to severe complications. Statistics indicate that one in five cases requires hospitalization, and about three in every 1,000 cases result in death. Vaccination remains the only prevention method against this illness.

Dr. Chad Smelser, NMDOH Deputy State Epidemiologist, emphasized the importance of vaccination: “We don’t want to see New Mexicans getting sick or dying from measles,” he stated. “The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is the best protection against this serious disease.”

In response to ongoing exposures in Lea County, NMDOH is encouraging residents to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their families. Free measles vaccination clinics are scheduled in Lea County on Tuesday, March 11.

Residents experiencing symptoms are advised to call ahead before visiting healthcare facilities for guidance based on symptom severity. For questions related to symptoms or vaccinations, individuals can contact the NMDOH Helpline at 1-833-796-8773 where assistance is available in both English and Spanish.

This case brings the total number of measles cases in the current outbreak to ten within Lea County. The cases include six adults and four children under 17 years old; seven were unvaccinated while vaccination histories for three remain unknown.

For further information regarding this press release, David Morgan can be contacted at 575-528-5197 (Office) or 575-649-0754 (Mobile).

More details are available on the NMDOH website at http://measles.doh.nm.gov.