El Paso parents, health officials concerned as Measles outbreak cases spike

The Texas Department of State Health Services expects cases of measles to rise as the number of cases reported has doubled within the last week.

Just five days ago, there were 15 confirmed cases in Gaines County, and one in Lea County, New Mexico — just a few hours from El Paso.

Now, the outbreak has grown to 42 cases reported in Gaines county. In surrounding counties, there are three in Terry County, two in Yoakum and one in Lynn County, totaling to 48 cases in Texas.

Measles is an airborne infection that can last up to two hours in the air after an infected person leaves the room. 

"Measles is an extremely contagious viral disease that can affect anybody who is particularly not vaccinated. What we're seeing in the West Texas outbreak is, all the cases that have been reported that have been confirmed are around the unvaccinated individuals," said Dr. Hector Ocaranza, El Paso Health Authority. "We know that approximately 60% of the cases are school aged children. And Gaines County, is the one that has one of the highest vaccine exemptions in the state."

Thirteen of those cases are children ages 0 to 4, 29 cases are children ages 5 to 17 years, fiveIt's really scary because I feel like these, types of outbreaks and diseases, I feel like they weren't common back when I was a kid. You wouldn't really hear of measles or smallpox or things like that. And so to think that it's coming back, it's so scary. It I'm really, really afraid for the future of our children. And yeah, the next generation. of them are ages 18 and up, and one is unknown.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red watery eyes, sore throat, white spots in the mouth, and a red blotchy rash.  

"I'm concerned not just with the measles, but the other childhood diseases that those poor kids had on their didn't get immunized with," said Will Martinez, who says his children are vaccinated.

The Texas Department of State Health Services says all of the cases are either people who are unvaccinated or the vaccination status is unknown.

"We're extremely concerned that that outbreak is going to continue," Ocaranza added. "What is important to note is that measles is not just another viral disease. Measles can carry complications such as pneumonia, bronchopneumonia. In some cases, it can have encephalitis, which is an inflammation of the brain."

According to the New Mexico Department of Health, two adults and one teenager have been reported to be infected with measles in Southeastern New Mexico.

"But now, to hear that there's a lot of cases where kids are aren't being vaccinated, that really does worry me. Not only for himself, but for the people around him in his school," said Mariah La Rosa, a high school teacher who's son is in kindergarten.

She says she wouldn't be surprised if she heard about cases spreading to El Paso, a growing city with people from around the county moving here.

"It's really scary because I feel like these types of outbreaks and diseases, I feel like they weren't common back when I was a kid. You wouldn't really hear of measles or smallpox or things like that," said l La Rosa. "And so to think that it's coming back, it's so scary. It I'm really, really afraid for the future of our children and the next generation."

ABC-7 spoke with Ysleta Independent School District Director of Student Health Services Sylvia Belmontes who explained the protocol if measles is suspected at a school.

"So immediately if there is a student that is any type of suspicion that they might have measles, they immediately isolate them," said Belmoontes. "And then they call the parents to come in and pick them up. And then of course, they recommend that they get further evaluated by their health care provider."

She said out of 34,000 students at YISD, 211 of them are exempted from vaccines.

The number of exemption requests in Texas has doubled from what it was five years ago.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reports Gaines County to have the one of the highest rates of vaccine exemptions in their school districts, with Loop Independent School District having 47.95% of exempted students.

The CDC recommends children to get their first dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine at the age of 1, and their second dose between the ages 4 and 6.