New Mexico announces measles outbreak in a county detention facility

Five people who are incarcerated at a New Mexico county detention facility have measles, the state health department said Thursday.

The Luna County Detention Center, located in the southwest New Mexico city of Deming, houses about 400 incarcerated people and has 100 staff members. State health officials say they are determining the vaccination status of people being held at the facility and are providing testing kits and equipment.

As of Friday, the U.S. has 1,227 measles cases nationwide as of Tuesday, including active outbreaks in 12 states.

The highly contagious and vaccine-preventable illness has been spreading in New Mexico since February, starting first in Lea County — just across the border from the epicenter of the historic Texas outbreak that has sickened 750 people since late January.

New Mexico had 81 confirmed measles cases Tuesday, with Thursday's announcement bringing the total to 86. One state resident died of measles in March. The adult was unvaccinated and did not seek medical care.

“The cases at Luna County Detention Center are a stark reminder that the measles outbreak in New Mexico is not over,” said Dr. Chad Smelser, a medical epidemiologist with the New Mexico Department of Health. “We urge everyone in New Mexico, especially Luna County residents, to ensure that they are fully vaccinated against measles.”

Health officials put out an alert June 17 about measles being found Deming’s wastewater system, an early sign that the virus was spreading.

Pablo Montoya, the facility's warden, said in a statement that the first signs of illness started a week ago and all five incarcerated people who tested positive are now in quarantine. All in-person visits are suspended and court hearings will be held virtually.

New Mexico has seen a large increase in measles vaccinations since February. More than 37,500 doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine had been administered as of Monday, state data shows, compared to about 19,300 in the same timeframe of 2024.

The measles vaccine is safe and it is 97% effective at protecting against measles after two doses. It is recommended as a routine vaccination for children across the U.S.

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