Last week, Midland officials announced the first case of measles had been found in the city since a large outbreak of the disease began in West Texas in January.
In a press release, a spokesperson for the city of Midland said it’s believed the person who was diagnosed with measles contracted the highly contagious disease while traveling abroad and that they were vaccinated.
The announcement came after two measles cases had previously been recorded in the Odessa area. As of Friday, the West Texas measles outbreak had grown to 309 cases and one child has died, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Midland Memorial Hospital and Medical Center Hospital in Odessa have both instituted safeguards to prevent the spread of measles at their facilities. Local health officials say the best way people can protect themselves from the disease is by getting vaccinated for the measles.
Marfa Public Radio spoke with Midland Memorial Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rohith Saravanan about the current situation in Midland and how locals can help prevent the spread of the measles.
