Texas declares measles outbreak over

The Texas measles outbreak that sickened 762 people since late January is over, state health officials said Monday.

It’s been more than 42 days since the last new case was confirmed, meeting the threshold public health officials use to declare measles outbreaks over. The last person to have an outbreak-related case got a rash on July 1, according to state data.

Two unvaccinated Texas children died of the virus earlier this year and 100 people were hospitalized throughout the outbreak, which spread to 37 counties. The outbreak and was linked to outbreaks in Canada and Mexico and other U.S. states.

The U.S. is having its worst year for measles in more than three decades, as childhood vaccination rates against the virus decline and more parents claim exemptions from school requirements. The U.S. has confirmed 1,356 cases as of Aug. 5, according U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. The nation’s third measles death was unvaccinated adult in New Mexico who died in March.

West Texas was the nation’s measles epicenter for months. The virus started spreading there in close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite communities in Gaines County.

Even with that outbreak over, Texas will likely see more cases as the virus spreads worldwide, officials said.

At least 19 U.S. states have had measles outbreaks this year. Across the border in Chihuahua, Mexico, an outbreak that started with a child who visited Gaines County has ballooned to 3,854 cases and 13 deaths. Another in Ontario, Canada, started in October, sickening 2,362 so far and killing one. And 1,762 have been sickened in Alberta, Canada.

Before the outbreak, most Texas doctors had never seen a measles case because of how uncommon it has become, said Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner Jennifer Shuford.

She credited testing, vaccination, monitoring and education with helping to end the outbreak.

“I want to highlight the tireless work of the public health professionals across the state who contributed to the containment of one of the most contagious viruses,” Shuford said in a statement.

Measles causes a rash and respiratory symptoms that can lead to severe complications or death. It is prevented by the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, which is required for most young kids before they start school.

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