The city of El Paso’s Department of Public Health has confirmed its first local case of measles, involving a three-year-old unvaccinated child.
El Paso Children's Hospital confirmed Tuesday night, April 8, that the case was at their facility and that they are working closely with DPH to minimize the spread of the virus, said Daniel Vela, marketing director for EPCH.
This follows a separate case reported by William Beaumont Army Medical Center on Tuesday, April 8, marking the first case in the region. The DPH case is the second in the region and the first under the city’s jurisdiction, according to a news release from city officials sent late Tuesday night.
DPH Director Vinny Taneja emphasized the importance of measles vaccination, stating, “Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can lead to severe complications, especially for those who are unvaccinated. We strongly urge parents to ensure their children are protected.”
Health officials have initiated contact tracing efforts to identify anyone who may have been exposed and are working to mitigate the potential spread of the virus. State health officials have also been notified.
City-County Health Authority Dr. Hector Ocaranza noted, “We’ve been preparing for this moment—and cautioning the public that it was only a matter of time. Now, measles is circulating in our region. Diseases like measles do not respect borders. We must remain vigilant and proactive to protect our community—especially our most vulnerable residents.”
2 separate cases
William Beaumont Army Medical Center has confirmed that a patient tested positive for measles at a clinic on Fort Bliss. The patient tested positive at the Mendoza Clinic on Friday, April 4. Health officials have reached out to patients who had appointments at the clinic during that time, according to a post on the Fort Bliss Facebook page.
"Your health is our priority, and we would like to take this opportunity to remind you of what you can do if you learn you or your family have been exposed to measles," the post said. Those who were exposed and fully vaccinated should monitor symptoms for 21 days, health officials said. No other information about the patient's age or vaccination status was released.
The confirmed case on Fort Bliss comes amid an outbreak of measles in the South Plains and Panhandle regions, where two school-aged children died after being hospitalized in Lubbock. There have been 505 cases identified since late January, and 57 patients have been hospitalized, according to DSHS.
What are measles?
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can cause a life-threatening illness in anyone not protected against the virus.
What does measles look like?
The rash caused by measles typically appears three to five days after the first symptoms. It usually begins as flat red spots on the face at the hairline and spreads down to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.
Is measles deadly?
According to DSHS, during a measles outbreak, about one in five children who get sick will need hospital care and one in 20 will develop pneumonia.
Rarely, measles can lead to swelling of the brain and death. It can also cause pregnancy complications, such as premature birth and babies with low birth weight.
Measles symptoms
Measles symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus,reports the Centers for Disease Control. Measles typically begins with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes, followed by white spots, called Koplik spots, appearing inside the mouth two to three days after symptoms begin.
At what age do kids get the measles vaccine?
The CDC advises that all children receive two doses of the vaccine. The first dose should be administered between 12 and 15 months of age, and the second should be given between 4 and 6 years of age. The second dose can be administered earlier, at least 28 days after the first dose.
Natassia Paloma may be reached atnpaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on Twitter; natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma Thompson on Facebook.
