The current measles outbreak has gripped US states like Texas and New Mexico leaving people worried whether it would become a new pandemic. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services as of February 21, 90 cases were diagnosed in the last month in the South Plains area, with at least 77 of them were reported in children and teens under 17.

Measles is highly contagious and can be deadly. The outbreak, which started spreading in late January, has resulted in multiple hospitalizations, with at least nine confirmed cases and three probable cases as of early February. Health officials caution that at least one in five infected individuals will have to be hospitalized, highlighting the severity of the situation.

Misinformation surrounding vaccines and with the new Trump administration anti-vaccine campaigs, has causing parents to hesitate or refuse vaccination.

Furthermore, the country down under Australia is also witnessing a surge in measles cases as health officials in Sydney have issued an urgent alert, urging residents to watch for measles symptoms after an infected individual visited several places in Sydney over the last seven days.

Authorities report that the traveller had returned from South East Asia where there are ongoing outbreaks of measles.

What Are The Symptoms Measles?

Key symptoms of measles include fever, a runny nose, sore eyes, and a cough. Typically, a red, blotchy rash appears three to four days later, spreading from the head down to the body. Symptoms can manifest between 7 and 18 days after exposure.

Anyone who experiences these symptoms after potential exposure should immediately contact their doctor or emergency department. It is crucial to call ahead before visiting to avoid potentially exposing others in the waiting room. Dr. Selvey also highlighted that ongoing measles outbreaks are occurring in various parts of the world, making awareness and prompt action essential.

Why It Is Important To Get Vaccinated?

According to CDC everyone should get the MMR vaccine. It protects you from measles, mumps, and rubella. Getting vaccinated helps stop these diseases from spreading. There are two safe MMR vaccines available. They work the same way, so it doesn't matter which one you get. Kids can also get a shot that protects against chickenpox too, but this is only for children.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?

Kids Need Two Shots

All children should get two MMR shots. The first shot should be given when they are between 12 and 15 months old. The second shot should be given when they are between 4 and 6 years old. If needed, the second shot can be given earlier, but it must be at least 28 days after the first shot.

College Students Need to Be Protected

Students going to college or other schools after high school, need two shots if they are not already immune. The shots must be at least 28 days apart.

Adults Need at Least One Shot

Most adults need at least one MMR shot. Some adults need two shots, especially those who work in healthcare, travel a lot, or go to college. These people should get two shots, with 28 days between them.

Travelers Need to Be Extra Careful

Anyone traveling to other countries should make sure they are protected. Babies 6 to 11 months old should get one shot before traveling. Kids 12 months and older, teens, and adults need two shots, with 28 days between them.

Healthcare Workers Must Be Immune

People who work in healthcare should have proof that they are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella. If they are not immune, they need two MMR shots, spaced 28 days apart.

Women Thinking About Having Babies

Women who might get pregnant should talk to their doctor about the MMR vaccine. It's safe to get the shot while breastfeeding.

BBC Countryfile presenter Julia Bradbury, who was diagnosed with breast cancer during the lockdown, in 2021, underwent a single mastectomy back to remove her tumor. Now, 55, she has recently opened up about a big lifestyle change that she has made to ensure that her cancer does not come back.

She said that she has given up alcohol completely, which some people also find "infuriating". In an interview with The Times, she said that doctors had warned her that every drink she consumes which is above a certain limit could increase the chance of her cancer returning. She said "death looked me in the eyes".

Speaking to The Times, she said, "I get a lot of pushback on social media about this. People go, ‘I was healthy, I go to the gym, I got cancer, and now it’s metastasized, and I’ve got secondary cancer. So, are you blaming me for my illness? No. All I’m saying is, this is what I went through. It was a wake-up call, and it made me look at life differently. It made me prioritize my sleep, emotional health, and gave me more time for my loved ones. If I drink more than four units of alcohol a week, my risk of recurrence goes up by 28 per cent. But people find me giving up drinking infuriating.”

What Does Data Say About Alcohol And Cancer?

The National Cancer Institute, US, notes that there s strong scientific evidence that alcohol drinking can cause cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) in 1987 due to sufficient evidence that it causes cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, and liver in people. The National Toxicology Program has listed consumption of alcoholic beverages as a known human carcinogen in its Report on Carcinogens since the ninth edition, in 2000.

Epidemiologic studies have shown that people who drink alcohol are at higher risk of certain cancers than those who do not drink alcohol and that the more someone drinks, the higher the risk of these cancers. Even light drinkers can be at increased risk of some cancers.

In the US in 2019, alcohol consumption was responsible for about 5% or nearly 100,000—of the 1.8 million cancer cases. It also led to 4% or nearly 25,000 of the 600,000 US cancer deaths that year.

Read: Can Drinking Beer Cause Cancer? A New Study Says There Is No Safe Limits

Julia also notes that her poor health took a hit on her confidence as well as her bank balance. This is why she has taken a new approach to life, as reported by the Express. She said, "I am very, very fortunate, and overall, I am having a wonderful life."

“But I’ve had a cancer diagnosis, both my parents have had cancer, I’ve lost people along the way, I’ve had financial worries, I’ve had to reinvent myself, and I’m not 100 per cent happy all of the time - of course not. But you can get through things, you can overcome hardships, and I like to think that’s what I do," she said.

While she is now healthy, she continues to go on her routine check-ups every year. "I wasn’t close to death, but death looked me in the eyes. So I am more focused on my health than I ever have been. I don’t drink, I eat a healthy diet, and exercise every day. When I came home from my mastectomy, I promised I would spend time outside every day, and that is my mantra, however poor it might be in this winter.”

Melanie Watson, Diff'rent Strokes actress and disability advocate dies at 57 on Friday, December 26. The news was confirmed by her brother Robert, and told that she was hospitalized prior to her death. While her cause of death has not been revealed yet, her brother said that she was in hospital due to some bleeding issue.

What Is Osteogenesis Imperfecta?

Melanie was born with osteogenesis imperfecta or OI, which the Johns Hopkins Medicine notes is an inherited (genetic) bone disorder that is present at birth. It is also known as brittle bone disease. A child born with OI may have soft bones that break or fracture easily, bones that are not formed normally and other problems Signs and symptoms may range from mild to severe.

OI also have eight different forms and the types vary greatly both within and between types. As per the Johns Hopkins Medicine, here are the eight types of OI:

Type I. Mildest and most common type. About 50% of all affected children have this type. There are few fractures and deformities

Type II. Most severe type. A baby has very short arms and legs, a small chest, and soft skull. He or she may be born with fractured bones. He or she may also have a low birth weight and lungs that are not well developed. A baby with type II OI usually dies within weeks of birth

Type III. Most severe type in babies who don’t die as newborns. At birth, a baby may have slightly shorter arms and legs than normal and arm, leg, and rib fractures. A baby may also have a larger than normal head, a triangle-shaped face, a deformed chest and spine, and breathing and swallowing problems. These symptoms are different in each baby.

Type IV. Symptoms are between mild and severe. A baby with type IV may be diagnosed at birth. He or she may not have any fractures until crawling or walking. The bones of the arms and legs may not be straight. He or she may not grow normally.

Type V. Similar to type IV. Symptoms may be medium to severe. It is common to have enlarged thickened areas (hypertrophic calluses) in the areas where large bones are fractured

Type VI. Very rare. Symptoms are medium. Similar to type IV.

Type VII. May be like type IV or type II. It is common to have shorter than normal height. Also common to have shorter than normal upper arm and thighbones.

Type VIII. Similar to types II and III. Very soft bones and severe growth problems.

What Causes OI?

This is a disease that could be passed on through genes and there are different types that could be passed on in different ways. These genes could be inherited from one or both parents, or could be passed on from an unexplained change or a mutation of the gene.

Most babies who have OI have a defect of one of two genes. These genes help in collagen forming, which is a main part of connective tissue that connects and supports the whole body, including bones. Because of a certain defect, there is no enough collages, or the collagen is abnormal, which causes this disease.

The main aim of treatment for this disease lies in prevention of deformities and fractures.

New Jersey health authorities have issued an alert for travelers who passed through Newark Liberty International Airport on December 19, warning of a possible measles exposure.

According to the state Department of Health, an infected passenger who does not live in New Jersey traveled through at least two airport terminals that day. Officials said anyone who was in Terminal B around 7 a.m. or Terminal C around 7 p.m. may have been exposed to the highly contagious virus. Authorities do not know where the individual was during the hours between those times.

As per NBC News, health officials have issued warnings about possible measles exposure for travelers passing through Boston and Denver.

Measles Alert Issued After Exposure At Two Major US Airports

People who were exposed could begin showing symptoms as late as January 2, as per NBC News. Health officials are urging anyone who believes they may have been exposed or who develops symptoms to contact their local health department or healthcare provider before visiting a clinic or hospital.

Officials noted that special arrangements can be made for medical evaluation to reduce the risk of spreading the virus to other patients and healthcare workers.

Measles Symptoms and Health Risks

Measles typically begins with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. A rash usually appears three to five days after symptoms start. It often begins as flat red spots along the hairline and face, then spreads downward to the neck, torso, arms, legs, and feet.

In some cases, measles can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis. Pregnant individuals face added risks, such as miscarriage, premature delivery, or having a baby with low birth weight.

What Is Measles?

Measles (rubeola) is a highly contagious viral infection causing fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a characteristic full-body rash, spread through air and surfaces, which can lead to severe, even deadly, complications like pneumonia or brain swelling, though it's preventable with the measles vaccine, as per Mayo Clinic.

The virus is extremely infectious, with one infected person potentially infecting up to 90% of unvaccinated close contacts, and remains contagious for hours in the air or on surfaces

How Measles Spreads

Measles spreads easily through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain airborne for up to two hours after the person has left the area. Infection can also occur through direct contact with mucus or saliva from someone who is infected.

Rising Measles Cases and Protection

New Jersey has reported 11 confirmed measles cases in 2025, compared with seven cases in 2024. Across the United States, cases have climbed sharply, reaching 2,012 across 44 jurisdictions as of December 23, the highest number reported since 1992.

State health officials are working with local agencies on contact tracing and outreach to alert those who may have been exposed. Individuals most at risk include those who are not fully vaccinated or who have never had measles.

The MMR vaccine, given in two doses, remains the most effective protection against measles, mumps, and rubella.