This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has confirmed that a resident of Lea County—the area where New Mexico’s outbreak has been concentrated—who died has tested positive for measles. The individual did not seek medical care prior to passing and was unvaccinated against the virus. No further information has been provided about the deceased individual, and the official cause of death is still under investigation by NMDOH’s medical investigator.1
With multiple ongoing exposures in Lea County, NMDOH urges residents to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their families.
“We don’t want to see New Mexicans getting sick or dying from measles. The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is the best protection against this serious disease,” Chad Smelser, MD, the NMDOH Deputy State Epidemiologist, said in a statement.1
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can cause severe complications. One in five cases requires hospitalization, and approximately three in every 1,000 cases result in death.
