Washington - Saba:
Health authorities in Texas announced on Thursday an outbreak of measles, one of the world's most contagious diseases, from the west of the city to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, home to about eight million people.
Authorities said two measles cases have been recorded in this area: one in Collin County, which includes the suburbs of Plano and Frisco, and the other in Rockwall County on the outskirts of the city.
No further details were released about the ages of the patients, their vaccination status, the method of infection, or the likelihood of them spreading the infection to others.
This outbreak raises concerns because of the daily flights connecting Dallas to major cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Houston, and Chicago, which could accelerate the spread of the disease.
This comes a week after the United States reported more than 1,000 measles cases this year, only the second time the number of cases has exceeded that mark since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000.
Officials fear the United States could lose its measles elimination status if the spread continues unchecked. Since last January, 717 cases have been reported in Texas, the largest outbreak in the country since its eradication. The outbreak includes multiple counties, including the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which has recorded seven cases so far, including the two most recent.
The outbreak has hospitalized 93 patients, most of them unvaccinated children under 18. The disease has spread to at least nine other states, including New Mexico and Oklahoma.
Measles vaccination rates in the affected areas are around 92%, below the 95% required to achieve herd immunity. In Collin County, 93.3% of kindergarteners have received the vaccine, while in Rockwall, the rate is less than 92%.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that is easily transmitted through the air through breathing, sneezing, or coughing, and is preventable with vaccines.
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