El Paso Health Authority predicts more Measles cases at family, holiday gatherings

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The City of El Paso's Measles Dashboard website indicates a slow, but continuing trend of measles cases popping up across the borderland.

The most recent case, per the City's data, was reported on Tuesday, April 29.

In addition to a breakdown of measles patients by age, gender, vaccination and hospitalization status, the website displays an "exposure table," explaining the date, time and location where patients may have exposed others to the disease.

"This is just the beginning," El Paso Health Authority Dr. Hector Ocaranza said. "We try to continue to tell the public--prevent this, instead of waiting to be infected. This is not just another rash disease."

Ocaranza said the Public Health Department starts investigating as soon as they learn about new cases.

They gather data from hospitals, laboratories and doctors offices, then contact patients directly to inquire about possible locations where other people could have been exposed.

Public locations are then listed on the online dashboard. In other cases, the disease spreads to others at private gatherings.

"Here in El Paso, a lot of people value family gatherings, and that's we're going to be seeing some more cases coming about," Ocaranza said. "We had Easter, and this is the time, two weeks now after Easter, that we're going to start seeing those positive cases coming in."

Click here to access the City of El Paso's online Measles dashboard.