Thanks to successful vaccination campaigns, most Americans today have never experienced a measles outbreak. So when they see news that rural West Texas has recorded 90 cases within the past month, the largest spike in the state in nearly 30 years, they might not understand why it’s so alarming.
Here’s why: Measles is notoriously difficult to control. The virus is airborne and can linger in the air and on contaminated surfaces for up to two hours. It is so contagious that 9 out of 10 unvaccinated children who are in contact with an infected person will fall ill. This is why cases are expected to multiply in the coming weeks. An outbreak has already been declared in neighboring eastern New Mexico, where nine people have been diagnosed thus far.