Boy toddler is now 4th confirmed measles case in El Paso

Public health officials said a boy toddler tested positive Wednesday for measles, making it the fourth confirmed case of the virus in El Paso in less than two weeks.

Two other toddlers and a woman in her late 40s are the other EL Paso measles victims, officials said previously.

Before this current outbreak, which comes amid a national measles’ resurgence, it had been 25 years since El Paso last saw a case of the measles.

“We need our community to focus on making sure that they are up-to-date with their measles or mmr vaccine,” said Robert Resendes, the city of El Paso’s health director. “When we vaccinate ourselves and our children we are not only protecting ourselves and our family, but also reducing the chances of the disease spreading to others in our community.”

The measles are very contagious, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, which estimates that 90-percent of people exposed to the virus — who are not vaccinated — will become infected.