By james art 
The United States faces a growing outburst of measles, and Texas is one of the main hot spots. The highly contagious virus has already infected at least 48 people in the country, the tallest hearth for nearly three decades. It is concentrated mainly in Gaines County, a rural area with a significant population of menonite, where the vaccination rate is well below national goals. Health officials have warned that if immediate action is not taken, the hearth will spread further, both within and outside the Texas.
Measles are not just a local problem; This is global health care. In 2023, over 10 million people worldwide were infected with the virus. Although measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, there are some outbreaks, as was the case in 2019, when a major epidemic in New York and other states almost cost the United States its status of elimination, with about 1,300 cases being have been reported. Now, after a decline in cases during the Covid pandemic, measles make resumption both globally and internally.
Measles in Texas
The current outbreak in Texas is focused on Gaines County, which borders New Mexico. The Texas Department of State Health Services has announced that all confirmed cases are in non -vague persons.
So far, 13 predictable patients of school age-Hospitalized, many of which require intensive treatment. It is believed that the hearth includes cases that have not been reported, and authorities believe that 200 to 300 people may already be infected but no tests have been done.
Gaines County has one of the highest percentages of vaccination in Texas. State data show that last year, only 82% of students from elementary schools in the area received the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), well below the federal target of 95%. In private schools and communities at home, the degree of vaccination is even lower.
How do measles spread and what are the symptoms?
Measles is one of the most impressive viruses in the world. It spreads through the respiratory tract and can remain in the air for hours after an infected face cough or sneezing.
Symptoms usually occur one to two weeks after exposure and include fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes, followed by a characteristic red rash. Although most people recover, measles can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, brain swelling and even death.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five non -vague people who negotiate measles will be hospitalized. For young children and people with a weakened immune system, the disease can be particularly dangerous.
Reduce the percentage of vaccination and public misinformation
Increasing the release from vaccination in Texas and the rest of the United States causes concerns among public health experts. Throughout the country, the vaccination rate decreases from the pandemic, and the coating is already less than 93%. Approximately 280,000 preschool children do not have documentation for MMR vaccination.
Texas law requires vaccination on children in public schools, but allows exceptions to “conscientious reasons”, including religious beliefs. In Gaines County, more than 13% of K-12 students received a vaccine release last year, one of the highest percentages in the state.
Vaccine misinformation has complicated the problem. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a critic of children’s vaccines, has recently been appointed US Secretary for Health and Human Services. His controversial position on immunization has caused fears of increased skepticism to vaccines, which has led to more outbreaks of preventable diseases.
In response to the hearth, health authorities have set up emergency vaccination centers, including self -service clinics in Seminol, County of Gaines County. CDC has supplied 2000 doses of MMR vaccine in Texas, but most are used to provide booster doses rather than reach an unvaccinated population at all.
Are there any cases in other countries?
The outbreak is not limited to Texas. Other states such as New Mexico, Alaska, Georgia, New York or Rod Island report this year. Recently, New Mexico health officials have confirmed a case in a teenager who has not traveled to Texas, provoking concerns about community distribution.
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