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Measles update: Health officials link 2 more cases to West Texas outbreak

A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination.
Geoff Robins
/
Reuters
A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination.

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State health officials linked two new measles cases to the West Texas outbreak on Tuesday.

The cases were in El Paso and Midland counties.

The overall number of outbreak-linked measles cases in Texas since January stood at 744.

The Texas Department of State Health Services also confirmed two additional hospitalizations for measles since the outbreak began, bringing the total number of measles hospitalizations to 94.

The state's reports come every Tuesday and Friday.

The new report came days after an optimistic moment last week, when, for the first time, the state health department had no new cases to report.

Dr. Jennifer Shuford, commissioner of the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), told the Texas Standard last week that the state could be "at the downward end of this curve."

She stressed, however, that with outbreaks active across the country and the world, measles could come roaring back in Texas.

"It just takes one person to get into an under-vaccinated community to cause another outbreak," Shuford said.

In addition to the 742 measles cases in Texas tied to the outbreak, there were at least 33 cases that health officials have not been able to connect to it.

More than 1,100 measles infections have been reported in the U.S. so far this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Also, the CDC issued guidance for international travelers to make sure they're fully vaccinated against measles before flying.

Each unvaccinated person on a plane with an infected traveler is at high risk for contracting the airborne virus and passing it to others, so the CDC wants travelers to confirm they’ve had both doses of the measles vaccine at least two weeks before they travel.

The CDC has received at least 62 reports of air travelers contagious with measles while flying this year.

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