Measles Outbreak Officially Over Per El Paso Health Officials

Public officials have declared an end to the 2019 outbreak of measles in El Paso.

The Department of Public Health has declared an end to the summer 2019 measles outbreak.

Earlier this summer the Department of Public Health announced the outbreak of three toddlers and three adults that contracted measles. The first two cases were diagnosed in early July, and the last case was identified on July 23, 2019.

According to public health officials, “Standard public health protocols declare an outbreak as over when no new cases have been identified for 42 consecutive days because it can take 21 days for symptoms to show in someone who has been infected with the measles. Health officials wait two incubation periods (42 days) out of an abundance of caution.”

The last time there was an outbreak of measles in the El Paso area was in 1993 where 88 suspect cases were investigated, tested and found to be negative for the virus.

Although health officials have declared an end to the measles outbreak in our area they highly encourage and continue to promote vaccination against the disease.

For more information on measles and the MMR Vaccine, including the Immunization Program click HERE.