By james art 
RFK Jr. insisted that he was not an “anti-vaxine” in his hearing for confirmation
HHS-nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Senator Ron Waydan that he was an “anti-vaxine” in his hearing for confirmation.
The fast -growing measles has infected dozens in Texas and New Mexico as employees suspect that the highly contagious disease continues to spread.
In just two weeks, a hearth in northwestern Texas jumped from two cases among non -vague children in Gaines County to 48 people in four districts, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. All cases are among people, mostly children who have not been vaccinated or have had an unknown vaccination status. More than a dozen people have been hospitalized for measles from Friday.
Texas employees warn that cases are likely to increase.
On Friday, New Mexico officials announced a hearth in Lea County, right through the Gaines County State Lines in Texas. Two adults tested positively for measles, like this week this week. The first case, an unvaccinated teenager in Lea County, did not have a recent journey history and there was no some exposure to Texas cases, raising alarms for measles, distributed undiscovered.
While employees think it has to do with the outbreak of Texas, this has not yet been confirmed.
“We are investigating every suspect and encouraging sick persons with symptoms corresponding to measles to seek medical attention,” said D -R Chad Males, a deputy -state epidemiologist of the New Mexico Health Department.
New Mexico employees inform people who are probably exposed to measles. The areas where people could be exposed include elementary school, two grocery stores, church, pharmacy and hospital.
Is the measles vaccine effective?
Officials in both Texas and New Mexico called on people to be vaccinated.
Bilateral measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are safe and highly effective to prevent disease. The full series of vaccine is 97% effective against measles, but even one shot provides 93% efficiency, the disease control and prevention centers reported.
Measles were declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, CDC said. But as the degree of vaccination against MMR has decreased, measles pulled back.
In 2024, 33 countries reported 285 measles cases, and 89% of cases were among people who were not vaccinated or did not have some vaccination status, CDC said. About 40% of cases led to hospitalization.
As of February 7, the CDC reported 14 cases of measles in 2025. The agency said the updates had been published monthly.
In 2024, CDC reported a coverage for all vaccines in children enrolled in kindergarten, dropped below 93%, with the absorption of the vaccine being 92.7%, below 95%threshold health experts to prevent outbreaks.
What are the symptoms of measles?
Symptoms can start from 7 to 14 days after exposure to the measles virus, according to CDC. This can cause severe complications and death in rare cases.
Symptoms may include:
- High temperature;
- Cough;
- Liquid nose;
- Red, watery eyes.
Small white irregularities can begin to appear in the mouth of a person two to three days after the onset of symptoms. A rash may begin to spread three to five days after the onset of symptoms.
How do measles spread?
The measles virus spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes or conversations and another person inhales droplets, said Mayo Clinic. People can also become infected by touching the surface with a virus and then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
Measles remain in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after a sick person leaves a room. It can be spread before someone understands they are sick. People can spread it for about eight days – four days before a rash and four days appear while they have a rash, according to the Mayo clinic.
How serious is measles?
About 1 in 5 unvaccinated people receiving measles are hospitalized, CDC said. One in 20 children who receive it with pneumonia, the most common cause of death in infected children.
Encephalitis or brain swelling of the brain occurs in 1 in 1000 children who conclude measles contracts, CDC said. This can lead to deafness, convulsions or intellectual damage.
Between 1 and 3 out of every 1000 children who receive measles die from respiratory or neurological complications. Unvaccinated women who are pregnant may have babies, born premature or low birth weight, which can cause long -term problems for the baby’s development.