On March 6, the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) reported its first death of an unvaccinated resident of Lea County in its ongoing measles outbreak. The individual did not seek medical care before passing, and NMDOH Scientific Laboratory confirmed the presence of the measles virus postmortem.

In addition, the state has identified 30 cases of measles since Feb. 9 in Lea County, which borders Texas. NMDOH said the increase in case numbers reflects test results from the NMDOH Scientific Laboratory Division combined with cases discovered during epidemiologic investigations of known patients. The cases did not occur simultaneously, but were identified retrospectively, with many detected only after patients had already recovered from their illness. 

“The large majority of Lea County residents are vaccinated and well-protected even if they come into contact with the virus,” said Dr. Miranda Durham, NMDOH chief medical officer. “Most confirmed measles cases involve people unvaccinated and have occurred over an extended period of time.”

Of the total measles cases in Lea County, 26 are adults and four are children under the age of 17. Most cases involved unvaccinated individuals, NMDOH said.

Additionally, on Friday, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported 198 measles cases have been identified since late January in the ongoing measles outbreak in nine West Texas counties. Twenty-three of the patients have been hospitalized in the state, and one unvaccinated school-aged child with no underlying conditions died on Feb. 26.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also said Friday it has confirmed measles cases in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York City, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington this year as well. Still, the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks make up for most of the nation’s case count.

An outbreak is defined as three or more related cases. The CDC said three outbreaks have occurred and were reported this year, and that 93% of the reported cases are outbreak-associated. For comparison, 16 outbreaks were reported during 2024 and 69% of cases were outbreak-associated.

Measles is extremely contagious; a person with measles can infect others from four days before rash onset through four days after the rash appears. In enclosed spaces, the virus can stay in the air for two hours after an infected person has left. Symptoms start with cough, runny nose, and eye redness, then progress to fever and rash. The rash starts on the head and spreads down the body.

Vaccination is the best protection from a measles infection. One dose of vaccine is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective, NMDOH reported. The measles vaccine provides lifetime protection.

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) confirmed on March 7 that a 65-year-old woman from Santa Fe County has died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), marking the first reported case in New Mexico this year. Through the media, the death has been recorded as pianist Betsy Arakawa, actor Gene Hackman’s wife.

Hantavirus is a severe respiratory illness caused by the Sin Nombre virus, which is transmitted through contact with infected rodents, or their urine, droppings, or saliva. The virus can become airborne when disturbed, posing risk of inhalation. No evidence of human-to-human transmission has occurred in New Mexico, NMDOH said.

“This tragic death reminds us that hantavirus remains a serious public health concern in our state,” said Erin Phipps, NMDOH state public health veterinarian. “While cases are relatively rare, the mortality rate is significant. We urge New Mexicans to take preventative measures seriously, particularly when cleaning areas where rodents may have been present.”

Hantavirus was first recognized in 1993 and has since been identified throughout the United States, with most cases occurring in Western states. As of the end of 2022, 864 cases of hantavirus disease were reported in the United States since surveillance began in 1993, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). NMDOH confirmed seven cases of Hantavirus in New Mexico last year, followed by seven in 2023, and three in 2022. 

Early symptoms of a Hantavirus infection may look and feel like the flu or a stomach bug and include fever and muscle aches, possibly with chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and cough, which can progress to respiratory distress and severe illness, NMDOH said. Symptoms typically develop within one to six weeks after rodent exposure.

Though no specific treatment for Hantavirus exists, chances for recovery are better if medical attention is sought early and the healthcare provider is told about the exposure to rodents or their droppings. The deer mouse is the main carrier for Sin Nombre virus, which is the hantavirus strain found in New Mexico. People are usually exposed to the virus around their homes, cabins or sheds, especially when they clean out or explore enclosed, poorly ventilated areas that have mouse droppings.

NMDOH recommends these precautions to reduce hantavirus risk:

• Air out closed-up structures like cabins and sheds, as well as abandoned or stored vehicles, before entering them.   
• Use traps to control mouse populations.  
• Seal homes, buildings, and shelters to prevent rodents from entering.  
• Disinfect nests and droppings with 10% bleach solution before cleaning up.   
• Never sweep or vacuum rodent droppings.  
• Store hay, wood, and compost away from dwellings.  
• Eliminate trash and junk piles that can harbor rodents.  
• Keep pet food and water in rodent-proof containers.