Measles cases rise in US as outbreak spreads

Cases in New Mexico and Texas increased by 38 in the past three days, data from the health departments of the two states showed on Friday.

There were 174 cases from Gaines County in Texas, the centre of the outbreak, compared with 156 cases on March 11. So far, 34 patients have been hospitalised in the state.

In New Mexico, cases rose from 33 to 35 on Friday, including two cases in Eddy County and the rest in Lea County, which is adjacent to Gaines County.

On Tuesday, Oklahoma's health department reported two "probable" cases after individuals, who were exposed to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, experienced measles-like symptoms.

Daniel Nichols, a virologist at Seton Hall University, said it was hard to tell at this stage whether the outbreak is spreading beyond the two states.

"But right now, with the cases still going up, it's still a major concern," he said.

An unvaccinated child with no underlying health conditions died of measles in Texas in February, marking the first death in the US from the disease since 2015. Another death of an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico is still under investigation.

The growing outbreak is the first major challenge for US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, a longtime vaccine sceptic who has emphasised the role of parents in decisions to vaccinate their children.

The CDC has said that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the most important tool for preventing measles.

The Texas state health department classified 257 patients as "unvaccinated or unknown," or people with no documented doses of measles vaccine more than 14 days before symptoms appeared.

After additional investigation, the Texas health department said it had removed one resident of Lubbock County from the case count as test results determined that they were experiencing a vaccine reaction and were not infected.

The vaccine's side effects include a sore arm, fever, mild rash and temporary joint pain or stiffness, according to the CDC.