A measles outbreak in a rural Texas county is raising alarm among those in the public health community who warn that the largely conquered disease could be making a resurgence.
“It is really important that we take this seriously,” says Neil Maniar, director of Northeastern University’s Master of Public Health program and professor of practice in public health.
There are at least 58 confirmed cases of measles and 13 hospitalizations in rural West Texas, as of Tuesday, with another eight cases in neighboring New Mexico.
Northeastern Global News spoke with Maniar about the likelihood that the measles outbreak will spread to other states and communities. His comments have been edited for brevity and clarity.
