TRAGIC

Measles Death in Second State as U.S. Outbreak Grows

The first measles fatality in the U.S. since 2015 was reported last week.

A second person has died from a growing measles outbreak along the Texas-New Mexico border, officials said Thursday. The New Mexico adult was unvaccinated and tested positive for measles, but did not seek medical care before their death, according to local health department officials. Lab results additionally confirmed the presence of measles in the person, whose age and sex have not been disclosed. The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator announced Thursday that the official cause of death is still under investigation. The person was a resident of Lea County, where at least 10 measles cases have been reported, according to The Washington Post. The area is near Gaines County, Texas where the outbreak is most concentrated. 169 cases in total have been reported from the two states, though officials have indicated that the real number is likely higher. The first measles fatality in the country since 2015 was reported last week on Feb. 26, following the death of an unvaccinated 6-year-old in Texas.