JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
The largest measles outbreak in decades in Texas is quickly spreading. How bad is it? Well, state officials are reporting 124 confirmed cases, mostly in the western part of the state, and exposure alerts have also been issued in central Texas. Gabriella Alcorta-Solorio is a reporter with Texas Public Radio in San Antonio and joins us now. Hi there.
GABRIELLA ALCORTA-SOLORIO, BYLINE: Hi.
SUMMERS: So just start, if you can, by telling us where and when this all started.
ALCORTA-SOLORIO: So the outbreak originated in Gaines County, which is a small county in west Texas next to the New Mexico border. The state released a health alert at the end of January that two school-age children tested positive for the virus, and they were hospitalized. Both of them were unvaccinated. And as of today, we have 124 confirmed cases, five of those being in vaccinated people. And here, I should note that Gaines County, where 80 of the cases are, had the highest unvaccinated rate in the state this school year according to state health data. And this county borders New Mexico, where state officials report nine confirmed cases.
SUMMERS: This is the third measles outbreak across the country this year - that's according to the CDC - and it's the worst. I wonder, are scientists worried about a wider resurgence of measles, which was declared to be eliminated here in the U.S. back in the year 2000?
ALCORTA-SOLORIO: Yeah, so Dr. Peter Hotez is a professor of pediatric and - pediatrics and molecular virology at Baylor College of Medicine. He expressed concern that this could be just the beginning of a serious outbreak.
PETER HOTEZ: These are bad illnesses that generations of scientists worked - labored so hard to make vaccines. And we have an ecosystem that's in place and working, and it's been very successful and well monitored.
ALCORTA-SOLORIO: The virus is extremely contagious. Ninety percent of people close to someone infected and who are not immune, they will contract the virus. It can live for two hours on surfaces, and it can live in the air for two hours after an infected person sneezes or coughs.
SUMMERS: Wow. Well, tell me, what are health officials there in Texas saying now about risks of measles in other parts of the state?
ALCORTA-SOLORIO: So on Sunday, state officials released a health alert that an individual who had tested positive stopped at two university campuses and tourist attractions on the San Antonio River Walk. Officials sent out alerts immediately, asking those who had been anywhere near these locations to monitor for symptoms such as fever or unexplained rashes for up to 21 days. Now, to keep in mind, in a few weeks, the city is hosting the NCAA men's Final Four, so authorities hope to contain this.
Anita Kurian is deputy director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, and she says the vaccine is widely available.
ANITA KURIAN: It's available in your doctors' offices, in your pharmacies, in your urgent care centers, in community health centers, including public health departments. So if you're looking to get vaccinated, these are some of the places that you should go. Start with your doctor's office if you have one.
ALCORTA-SOLORIO: Kurian did note that anyone who thinks they were exposed should notify any health care facility before showing up.
SUMMERS: Got it. OK, last thing here - who should be thinking about getting revaccinated for the measles?
ALCORTA-SOLORIO: So children are at higher risk for the virus, according to the CDC. So getting the first dose of the vaccine is recommended around 12 to 15 months, and the second dose is 4 to 6 years. If adults are unsure of their vaccination status, they can contact their primary care provider to get a copy of their records. But the CDC does say those who were born between - or before - after 1957 and before 1968 should consider getting revaccinated due to the fact that during that time, the vaccine was administered with an inactive virus, and it proved to be inefficient.
SUMMERS: Gabriella Alcorta-Solorio is a reporter with Texas Public Radio in San Antonio. Thank you so much.
ALCORTA-SOLORIO: Thank you.
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