(Reuters) -The New Mexico health department on Friday reported that there were currently 44 cases of measles in the state, up from its previous count of 43 cases on March 25.
Most of the cases were reported in Lea County, which is adjacent to the Gaines County in Texas.
Gaines County is considered the center of the current measles outbreak that began in late January across the two states.
The latest case in New Mexico brings the total number of infections in unvaccinated people to 32.
New Mexico did not report any additional hospitalizations or deaths due to the disease.
In recent years, federal health officials have attributed some outbreaks to parents refusing to vaccinate children.
The CDC said in a health advisory to doctors on March 7 that the risk for widespread measles in the U.S. remains low.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who for years has sown doubts about the safety and efficacy of immunization, said last month that he recognizes the serious impact of the current measles outbreak in Texas.
He added that the government is providing resources, including vaccines.
(Reporting by Sriparna Roy and Puyaan Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel and Shreya Biswas)
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