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Measles rash on the body of a child.

Measles outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico

Public health monitoring situation, no outbreaks reported in Colorado

PRESS RELEASE
March 5, 2025

Garfield County Public Health is closely monitoring outbreaks of measles in Texas and New Mexico. Measles is a highly contagious respiratory viral disease. No measles cases have been reported in Colorado, but the size and fast growth of other U.S. outbreaks, plus proximity to Colorado, has concerned health officials.

Measles spreads easily; it can remain in the air for up to two hours. If one person has it, nine out of 10 people who are unprotected around them will get measles. Infected people can spread it to others before they know they have the illness.

The best protection is the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

“The good news is that the vaccine is 97 percent effective after two doses,” said Garfield County Public Health Nurse Danielle Yost. “We are getting calls from people asking about boosters. Measles doesn’t mutate the same way that some other viruses do. A person who is vaccinated against measles will usually be protected for life.”

The vaccine is given to children between 12 -15 months with a second dose between 4 and 6 years. People born before 1957 are likely to have been infected and are presumed protected.
Measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000; however, even slightly lower vaccination rates can leave communities at risk. Texas has had 159 cases of the illness, with one death announced on February 26 in an unvaccinated school-aged child.

Common symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, and rash. Measles is a serious respiratory illness that can cause life-long problems like hearing loss and brain damage. In the most serious cases, it can lead to respiratory failure and even death.

For a community to be protected, a measles vaccination rate of 95 percent or greater is needed. According to the Colorado Immunization Information System, Garfield County’s MMR rate is 92 percent.

Most insurance plans cover measles and all other recommended vaccines. If you do not have health insurance or your plan doesn’t fully cover certain vaccines, you can get no or low cost vaccines from a provider enrolled in a federal vaccine program. For questions or to make a vaccination appointment, call Garfield County Public Health at 970-625-5200, ext. 8116 in Rifle, and 970-945-6614, ext. 2030 in Glenwood Springs.