New Mexico health department reports measles spread to fifth county 鈥�
New Mexico health officials on Wednesday reported the first measles case in Curry County, afflicting an infant, and warned of possible exposures last week at a social services office and Walmart.
Additionally, three more measles cases emerged in Lea County, bringing New Mexico鈥檚 case total to 71.
Health officials have now diagnosed : Chaves, Curry, Do帽a Ana, Eddy and Lea.
鈥淪eeing measles in a new county underscores the need to remain vigilant and get vaccinated,鈥� NMDOH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Miranda Durham said in a statement. 鈥淚t also serves as a reminder the measles outbreak in New Mexico isn鈥檛 over. We urge New Mexicans to make sure their vaccination records are up to date.鈥�
Between Feb.1 and May 3, 23,706 New Mexicans received a vaccine, nearly double the 2024 rate of 12,985 during the same time frame. Two doses of the vaccine can provide 97% protection against measles infection, according to the .
Measles, a highly contagious respiratory virus spread through contact with droplets from an infected person talking, coughs or sneezes. Symptoms can take one to three weeks to appear, and people can spread measles before showing a fever, red eyes, cough, headache or the spotty red rash.
Health officials said people at the following locations may be exposed to measles:
- April 30, from 10:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., at the WIC Agency, 1216 Cameo St. in Clovis.
- April 30, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. at Walmart, 3728 N. Prince Street in Clovis.
- May 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Firehouse Subs, 3734 N. Grimes Street., Suite. A in Hobbs.
- May 4 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Bob鈥檚 Thriftway, 904 Avenue D in Lovington.
The current United States measles outbreak is the worst in 30 years, with cases reported in 30 of the 50 states and in Canada and Mexico.
Across New Mexico, school nurses say they remain on alert for measles cases, while working to build trust with parents about vaccinations.
After the outbreak first began in mid-February, one of the first things Desiree Smith, a school nurse in Portales for the past 15 years, did was reach out to parents of unvaccinated children.
鈥淲e wanted to let them know the process if their child was exposed, or has the measles,鈥� Smith said, noting that the latest guidance from NMDOH is for unvaccinated children to not attend school for 21 days from the last exposure. She said depending on the district, plans would need to be in place for remote learning during that period.
鈥淲e did have a couple of parents who had their children vaccinated after I explained the dangers of measles, obviously, the exposure time and time away from the classroom,鈥� she said.
School nurses in New Mexico are responsible for reviewing students鈥� vaccine records, which are required by state law to be up to date. New Mexico, unlike other states, does not allow for 鈥減ersonal or philosophical exemptions,鈥� but does allow for religious or medical exemptions, which must be updated every year.
Smith, who is also the director of the New Mexico School Nurse Association, said educational health providers are both potential first responders to an outbreak and play a crucial role in addressing the falling vaccine rates furthering spread.
鈥淪ince COVID we have had we have seen a lot more vaccine hesitancy,鈥� Smith said.
According to NMDOH data, New Mexico exemption rates are rising. Taos County has the highest exemption percentage at 3.35%, followed by De Baca County at 2.96% of students and Harding C
Smith said she and other school nurses received guidance from the state health department in February to reach out to parents with exemptions, and alert them about the measles outbreak. Smith, who also sits on the board of the National Association of School Nurses, said the larger goal is to keep kids healthy enough for school.
鈥淎s school nurses, we just want what is best for the children, we鈥檙e trying to make sure they are safe, healthy and ready to learn and that time out of the classroom is minimized as much as possible,鈥� she said. 鈥淰accination is one of the best ways to do that.鈥�
The NMDOH Measles guidance page can be accessed
As Albuquerque awaits, NM National Guard readies to launch Operation Zia Shield 鈥� Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal
With just a few weeks before more than 70 New Mexico National Guard members hit the streets of Albuquerque, top law enforcement officials involved in planning the unusual deployment insisted it will not be military occupation of the state鈥檚 largest city.
During a Wednesday news conference at the National Guard headquarters in Santa Fe, Albuquerque Police Department Chief Harold Medina expressed confidence about the operation that鈥檚 expected to fully begin around Memorial Day weekend.
鈥淭here is no intent of a military presence in Albuquerque,鈥� said Medina, who reiterated the National Guard members deployed on the mission, officially called Operation Zia Shield, will not carry guns, wear fatigues or be authorized to make arrests.
In all, 71 members of the National Guard will be deployed as part of the mission, which was authorized last month by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham upon a request from Medina. In , the police chief said it would free up Albuquerque Police Department officers to fight crime. Medina has said the guard members would do auxiliary duties for APD 鈥� like direct traffic and secure perimeters 鈥� so not as many officers will have to.
Of the guard members being deployed, 53 are from the Albuquerque area, said New Mexico National Guard Adjutant General Miguel Aguilar.
鈥淚t鈥檚 our community,鈥� Aguilar said during Wednesday鈥檚 news conference. 鈥淲e鈥檙e from this community.鈥�
But some local residents remain concerned about , especially in Albuquerque鈥檚 International District along East Central that has seen high rates of open air drug use and homelessness in recent years.
Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, who represents a legislative district that encompasses the area, said in a recent interview that not all area residents were on board with the plan.
鈥淚鈥檝e got concerned constituents,鈥� Stewart told the Journal. 鈥淚 hope what the governor and the mayor are trying to do works.鈥�
The National Guard deployment has drawn , while also generating criticism from prominent New Mexico Republicans like state GOP chairwoman Amy Barela, who said Lujan Grisham was 鈥済iving cover to a Democrat-run city entrenched in crime.鈥�
However, APD officials have cited statistics showing a drop in Albuquerque鈥檚 homicide rate so far this year compared to 2024.
The arrival of National Guard troops could help sustain that trend by freeing up police officers from routine tasks, Medina said Wednesday.
鈥淚鈥檓 at the point of my career that I鈥檓 not afraid to stick my neck out and try something outside the box,鈥� Medina said.
In preparation for the deployment, the National Guard members who volunteered for the assignment have undergone extensive training in recent weeks. Some of that training includes self-defense tactics and responsible use of force, said New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler, whose agency assisted with the training.
鈥淲e want to make sure the guardsmen have the ability to protect themselves,鈥� Weisler said.
While they will not carry firearms, the deployed National Guard troops will carry pepper spray for self-protection, just as police aides do, Medina said. He also said they would carry Narcan, which can be used to reverse an overdose of fentanyl or other opioids.
During a Wednesday crisis intervention training session that was open to reporters, National Guard members sat in a conference room responding to questions from a psychologist about ways to interact with individuals dealing with mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder.
Several of the National Guard members present for the training said they signed up for the mission out of a sense of community duty.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity to help the community and that鈥檚 why I volunteered,鈥� said Staff Sgt. Alfonso Deocampo of Bosque Farms.
Meanwhile, Aguilar said the New Mexico National Guard would still have the capacity to respond to any wildfires, flooding or other natural disasters that might occur in the coming months. He also said the Albuquerque operation would not interfere with plans to send National Guard troops on overseas humanitarian missions.
New Mexico lays out timeline for rebuilding behavioral health system 鈥�
New Mexico鈥檚 top adult mental health services official on Wednesday laid out a timeline for rebuilding the state鈥檚 systems for addressing mental health challenges, including substance use disorder.
At a public health conference in Albuquerque, Health Care Authority Behavioral Health Services Division Director Nick Boukas detailed how mental health treatment will change as a result of New Mexico enacting , known as the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act.
Boukas said his division will work with the to divide the state into behavioral health regions and 鈥渋nvestment zones,鈥� each of which will identify five behavioral health priorities over the next four years.
The priorities will come from feedback from local communities, including local public health councils, local behavioral health collaboratives and advocates, Boukas said.
鈥淲e want you at that table so that we can make it better,鈥� Boukas told the crowd gathered at the conference. 鈥淲e know that one size does not fit all.鈥�
Boukas鈥� comments came during the Community Collaborative Forum hosted by the , at which hundreds of people 鈥� including state agency heads, state lawmakers and public health researchers 鈥� met in person and online to debrief this year鈥檚 legislative session and prepare for potential federal funding cuts.
In the recent legislative session, New Mexico allocated $4 million for health councils in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Lt. Gov. Howie Morales gave the event鈥檚 keynote address during which he said the funds mark the biggest ever investment of state funds in health councils.
Health councils鈥� advocates have in recent years to receive funding from state lawmakers. Morales said when he was still a , he remembers 鈥渘ot all health councils were able to survive鈥� funding cuts the Legislature enacted.
鈥淚 believe in preventative measures,鈥� Morales said. 鈥淲e can talk about all of the back-end issues that we deal with 鈥� crime, homelessness, substance abuse 鈥� but if we continue to invest like we just did, this $4 million, you work on it on the front end, the investment pays off in multiple ways.鈥�
According to a timeline Boukas presented at the forum, last week AOC began providing HCA with monthly updates on the regional plans.
On Monday, HCA Kristie Brooks, a former federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration official, as the state鈥檚 director of behavioral health transformation and innovation. Boukas said she will help him implement SB3.
鈥淪he understands rural communities, tribal communities, behavioral health and how we make all that work together,鈥� he said.
By June 1, the Behavioral Health Services Division will provide AOC with behavioral health standards and service evaluation guidelines, according to the timeline, and by the end of this year, the state鈥檚 Medicaid program will establish a group of licensing boards to help streamline mental health providers鈥� credentialing.
Planning meetings will be public SB3 repealed the old Behavioral Health Collaborative, which will be replaced with the new Behavioral Health Executive Committee, who will be responsible for implementing the new law, Boukas said.
The executive committee will include the Health Care Authority cabinet secretary, the Behavioral Health Services Division director, the Medicaid program director, the AOC and the Legislative Finance Committee, he said, noting that AOC is vetting three behavioral health experts to also work on the committee, and their appointments will be announced soon.
The committee will hold meetings open to the public in Santa Fe and online every quarter, and report back to the LFC, Boukas said.
The Behavioral Health Trust Fund created in will start paying out in July 2026.
The money must be equitably shared between each region鈥檚 priorities; may be used for projects up to four years in length; may be used to cover people without health insurance; and up to 5% of it can be for emergencies like mental health services during disasters like wildfires, Boukas said.
By June 30, 2027, the executive committee will find a responsible government entity in each region to write progress reports on gaps in care and services provided, and hand them over to LFC, according to Boukas鈥� timeline.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 just a blank check that鈥檚 going to go out the door,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e want to make sure we鈥檙e turning these into measurable outcomes.鈥�
Also on June 30, 2027, the state鈥檚 Medicaid program is expected to establish a universal behavioral health provider enrollment and credentialing process for Medicaid, according to the timeline.
Then on July 1, 2027, HCA will analyze gaps in behavioral health care to inform the regional plans, and then repeat the analysis every two years thereafter, the timeline states.
Boukas said he expects many regions to have the same top three priorities already found in health councils鈥� community health improvement plans: access to care, behavioral health and substance use disorder.
When Boukas asked the crowd if he was missing anything, someone shouted out, 鈥淗ousing!鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 in here too,鈥� he responded. 鈥淏ut we want you to tell us where we need that housing, and what type of housing. So we need you at this table, we want you at this table.鈥�
Iron Fire now 10 percent contained, and reduced by almost 100 acres thanks to rain 鈥� Daniel Monta帽o, 九色网 News
Firefighters received help in battling the Iron Fire currently burning in the Gila National Forest thanks to rainy weather over the last few days.
As of this morning, the fire is 10% contained and has been reduced in size by almost 100 acres, to 822 acres total, according to a .
Hotshot crews have successfully mapped and checked the fire perimeter and are working to mop up hotspots to reduce potential spread.
Temperatures in the area are forecast to rise in the coming days which could complicate firefighting efforts, and engines remain engaged, and are finalizing a contingency plan should conditions worsen.
The snow lake area remains closed, including the boat launch and trailhead and Dipping Vat Campgrounds.
The fire was sparked on Sunday close to noon, and by that evening had grown to more than 900 acres fueled by strong winds gusting up to 40 miles per hour.
State grants $2.3 million for New Mexico recreation, conservation projects 鈥�
On Thursday, the New Mexico Economic Development Department awarded more than $2.3 million to 15 outdoors projects, including a mountain bike jump park in Santa Rosa, restoration of Gila trails burned by wildfire and a children鈥檚 garden in Santa Fe.
The projects span 14 counties and promote outdoor access and conservation stewardship, Outdoor Recreation Division Director Karina Armijo said in a statement to Source NM.
鈥淭he Trails+ Grant program is increasing safe and inclusive outdoor access, especially in rural and historically underserved communities,鈥� Armijo said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 boosting local economies and is a long-term investment in quality of life for all New Mexicans.鈥�
In total, the Outdoor Recreation Division has spent more than $28.7 million from the Trails Grant+ fund on 221 projects since the program started in 2020.
Elias Quinn, a mountain biker and member of Los Senderos de Guadalupe, told Source NM the nearly $100,000 grant will be used to plan and design a mountain bike park and trail system in an underserved part of the state.
鈥淚 just felt like there was a missed opportunity for Santa Rosa, just off Interstate 40, lots of people are stopping at the lakes,鈥� he told Source NM. 鈥淚 felt like a bike park could help attract more tourists.鈥�
脌ngel Pe帽a, executive director for Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project in Las Cruces, told Source NM his group will use the $75,000 state grant to restore trails and start a community education program in the La Mancha Wetlands. The nonprofit has owned the four-acre area, which has water in pools year-round, for several years.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been doing what we can on a shoestring budget, and this is really the first real investment we鈥檝e been able to secure for the specific project,鈥� Pe帽a said. 鈥淭he state is truly investing in its local community down here.鈥�
The grant will also help develop a resource management plan, Pe帽a said, and then aid trail crews to start building new paths for youth hiking programs.
A new round of Trails+ Grant funding will open later this year on July 1, for $11.6 million in funding available. The state agency has more information about applications on its webpage at www.NMOutside.com.
Self-deportation poses legal risks for immigrants who accept offer of cash, airfare - Oliver Uyttebrouck,
Immigrants who take up the Trump administration鈥檚 offer of cash and free airfare for people who self-deport could make legal reentry to the U.S. lengthy and difficult, if not impossible, advocates warned this week.
They recommended that immigrants speak with an attorney before taking up the government鈥檚 inducement of $1,000 and airfare to their countries of origin.
鈥淎nyone who is finding themselves in a moment of uncertainty should always speak with a qualified immigration attorney,鈥� said Unai Montes-Irueste, a spokesman for People鈥檚 Action Institute, a nonprofit advocacy group.
But Montes-Ireste and others also said they anticipate that many immigrants facing President Donald Trump鈥檚 harsh deportation crackdown may find the self-deportation offer tempting.
The Trump administration offered the financial incentive on Monday and described self-deportation as a way for migrants to preserve their ability to legally return to the U.S.
Sophia Genovese, an attorney for the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center, warned that immigrants who self-deport could face high barriers to legal reentry to the U.S.
鈥淚f people have an active case with the immigration court and they leave, that will result in an in absentia removal order,鈥� Genovese said. The order 鈥渋s a deportation order that would be entered because they failed to appear at their next immigration court hearing,鈥� she said.
A deportation order carries a 10-year bar of return to the U.S. 鈥渁nd it will create barriers for people seeking to return through some other lawful pathway,鈥� she said.
The U.S. Department of Justice public affairs office did not respond this week to requests for comment sent to the agency鈥檚 media inquiry site.
Trump told reporters Monday that immigrants who self-deport and leave the U.S. might have a chance to return legally 鈥渋f they鈥檙e good people鈥� and 鈥渓ove our country.鈥�
Trump made immigration enforcement and mass deportation a centerpiece of his campaign but so far has struggled to fulfill his promise of deporting at least 1 million people in the first year of his current term.
The Department of Homeland Security has repurposed a U.S. Border Patrol app, CBP Home, that allows immigrants to obtain the $1,000 stipend and a flight to their home countries. The app was created by the Biden administration to allow people to track their immigration cases.
DHS said in a news release that people who use the app will be 鈥渄eprioritized鈥� for detention and removal by immigration officials.
鈥淚f you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest,鈥� Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement.
Genovese said flyers promoting the CBP Home app have turned up at immigration courts around the U.S., including the El Paso Immigration Court, which hears all New Mexico immigration cases.
The flyers have created the appearance that immigration courts and judges support the self-deportation program, she said.
鈥淭his is leading a lot of community members, a lot of immigrants, to believe that the odds are stacked against them,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f a judge is encouraging the ability to self-deport, why would an immigrant believe that they have a fair shot at winning asylum or some other permanent status?鈥�
Genovese urged immigrants considering the offer to consult with an immigration attorney or a qualified immigration representative, a non-attorney who has credentials to argue cases in immigration courts.
Heinrich questions USDA secretary about Silver City Dispatch Center, as Iron Fire burns in Gila - by Patrick Lohmann,
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) questioned the nation鈥檚 agriculture secretary Wednesday about the potential closure of a key wildfire dispatch center in the Gila National Forest that remains on a list of lease cancellations the so-called Department of Government Efficiency announced earlier this year.
The handles communications and resource orders, among other duties, to ensure small wildfire starts in the fire-prone Gila National Forest do not burn out of control. It鈥檚 housed in the Gila National Forest鈥檚 29,000-square-foot supervisor鈥檚 office in Silver City, an office whose lease could be canceled in the name of federal cost-cutting measures.
and Forest Service employees have raised alarm about the potential closure, particularly in the remote Gila, because it鈥檚 not clear where else in the area would be suitable.
Heinrich opened his questioning yesterday during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee meeting by asking USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins about the center. His office previously told Source New Mexico that Heinrich had received 鈥溾�� the office would remain open, but that official word would have to come from the federal General Services Administration, which holds the leases.
鈥淚n our conversations, you assured me that you would seek to keep this dispatch center open, that you would designate it 鈥榤ission critical,鈥欌�� Heinrich said to Rollins. 鈥淭alk to me about what you are doing to make good on that promise.鈥�
Rollins said her agency has been 鈥渋n conversation with鈥� the GSA regarding the center, but did not provide any status updates.
鈥淲e agree that this is important and, especially as wildfire season is heating up, ensuring that we are operationally ready at every turn in your state and in other states that are highly affected by that,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o we remain focused on that, and if you hear something different, please call me.鈥�
A GSA spokesperson Thursday referred comment back to the USDA about the status of the lease. A spokesperson said* the Forest Service had 鈥渘othing to add鈥� to Rollins鈥� testimony. The spokesperson also said the administration is 鈥渞eviewing all options to optimize the federal footprint and building utilization.鈥�
The GSA spokesperson, while not mentioning the dispatch center lease directly, also said the administration is 鈥渁ctively managing lease contracts,鈥� which allows it to work with agencies on their longer-term needs and possibly negotiate better rent prices.
Heinrich, in his question to Rollins, cited the ongoing in the Gila. That fire ignited Sunday afternoon and has burned, according to the latest figures, 822 acres. Dispatchers coordinated the response of more than 180 personnel to the fire, including two helicopters, two engines and two Hotshot teams.
As of Thursday, the fire is 10% contained with reduced smoke activity. Investigators have determined lightning caused the fire, and crews are focused on mopping up hot spots and strengthening containment lines.
The fire ignited in a remote area within the 2012 Whitewater Baldy Fire burn scar and is burning in grass, as well as heavy dead and downed fuel and timber, according to an update from the Gila National Forest.
The fire occurs in an area where , including some areas in Southwestern New Mexico where it is 0% of the median snowpack that accumulated there between 1991 and 2020.
According to the from the National Interagency Fire Center, citing drought and other factors, all of Southwestern New Mexico should expect above-normal fire conditions. The outlook for much of the rest of the state has improved to normal, however, according to the outlook.
In addition to the dangerous conditions and threatened closure of the dispatch center, more than 25 people who work in the Gila National Forest were fired earlier this year as part of federal cost-cutting measures. It鈥檚 not clear how many of them returned to work due to federal orders or how many are on administrative leave.
North Dakota is 11th US state with a measles outbreak. Here's what to know - By Devi Shastri, AP Health Writer
North Dakota is the 11th state in the U.S. with a measles outbreak, logging its first cases since 2011.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's confirmed measles case count is 935, more than triple the amount seen in all of 2024. The three-month outbreak in Texas accounts for the vast majority of cases, with 702 confirmed as of Tuesday. The outbreak has also spread to New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas.
Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children died from measles-related illnesses in the epicenter in West Texas, and an adult in New Mexico who was not vaccinated died of a measles-related illness.
Other states with active outbreaks 鈥� which the CDC defines as three or more related cases 鈥� include Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
North America has two other ongoing outbreaks. One in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in 1,243 cases from mid-October through April 29. And the Mexican state of Chihuahua had 922 measles cases and one death as of Tuesday, according to data from the state health ministry. Health officials in Mexico and the U.S. say all three outbreaks are of the same measles strain.
Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.
As the virus takes hold in U.S. communities with low vaccination rates, health experts fear that spread could stretch on for a year. Here's what else you need to know about measles in the U.S.
How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?
Texas state health officials said Tuesday there were 19 new cases of measles since Friday, bringing the total to 702 across 29 counties 鈥� most of them in West Texas. The state also added two hospitalizations to its count Friday, for a total of 91 throughout the outbreak.
State health officials estimated about 1% of cases 鈥� fewer than 10 鈥� are actively infectious.
Fifty-seven percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 403 cases since late January 鈥� just over 1.7% of the county's residents.
The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Local health officials in Texas said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of "what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure." A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February 鈥� Kennedy said age 6.
New Mexico was steady Tuesday with 67 total cases. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Three are in Eddy County, two in Don虄a Ana County and one in Chaves County.
How many cases are there in Indiana?
Indiana confirmed two more cases April 21 in an outbreak that has sickened eight in Allen County in the northeast part of the state 鈥� five are unvaccinated minors and three are adults whose vaccination status is unknown.
The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health has said.
How many cases are there in Kansas?
Kansas added two cases Wednesday for a total of 48 across eight counties in the southwestern part of the state. The state has had one hospitalization.
The state's first reported case was linked to the Texas outbreak based on genetic testing.
How many cases are there in Michigan?
Montcalm County, near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, has an outbreak of four cases that state health officials say is tied to the Ontario outbreak. The state had nine confirmed measles cases as of Friday, but the remaining five are not part of the Montcalm County outbreak.
How many cases are there in Montana?
Montana state health officials announced five cases April 17 in unvaccinated children and adults who had traveled out of state, and later confirmed it was an outbreak. All five are isolating at home in Gallatin County in the southwest part of the state.
They were Montana's first measles cases in 35 years. Health officials didn't say whether the cases are linked to other outbreaks in North America.
How many measles cases are there in North Dakota?
North Dakota announced its first measles case since 2011 on Friday, and by Tuesday, there were nine cases.
All are in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. The state health department said Monday that three of the confirmed cases are linked to the first case 鈥� an unvaccinated child who health officials believe got it from an out-of-state visitor.
The other five cases, announced Tuesday, were people who were not vaccinated and did not have contact with the other cases, causing concern about community transmission. The state health department said four people diagnosed with measles attended classes while infectious at a Williston elementary school, middle school and high school.
How many cases are there in Ohio?
The state has two outbreaks. Ashtabula County near Cleveland has 16 cases. And Knox County in east-central Ohio has 20 鈥� 14 among Ohio residents and the rest among visitors.
The Ohio Department of Health on Thursday confirmed 33 measles cases and one hospitalization. That count includes only Ohio residents. Defiance County in the northwestern part of the state has logged its first case.
Allen and Holmes counties have had one case each.
How many cases are there in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma added one case for a total of 14 confirmed and three probable cases as of Tuesday. The outbreak is linked to Texas and New Mexico.
The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases, but Cleveland, Oklahoma and Sequoyah counties have had public exposures in the past couple of months.
How many cases are there in Pennsylvania?
There are eight measles cases in Erie County in far northwest Pennsylvania, officials said Friday. The county declared an outbreak in mid-April. The state has said it has 13 cases overall in 2025, including international travel-related cases in Montgomery County and one in Philadelphia.
How many cases are there in Tennessee?
Tennessee had six measles cases as of last week. Health department spokesman Bill Christian said all cases are the middle part of the state, and that "at least three of these cases are linked to each other" but declined to specify further. The state also did not say whether the cases were linked to other outbreaks or when Tennessee's outbreak started.
The state health department announced the first measles case March 21, three more on April 1 and the last two on April 17, but none of the news releases declared an outbreak. However, Tennessee was on a list of outbreak states in a CDC report April 17.
Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?
Cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.
What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine?
The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.
Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don't need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from "killed" virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.
People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don't need the shots because most children back then had measles and now have "presumptive immunity."
In communities with high vaccination rates 鈥� above 95% 鈥� diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called "herd immunity."
But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. The U.S. saw a rise in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60.
What are the symptoms of measles?
Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.
The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.
Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.
How can you treat measles?
There's no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.
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AP Science Writer Laura Ungar contributed to this report.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
- Patrick Lohmann,
President Donald Trump鈥檚 identifies more than $600 million to be cut from 鈥渨oke鈥� grant programs overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
That budget proposal, which needs Congressional approval, does not specify which programs or grants would be axed but says the cuts would enable FEMA to refocus on 鈥渟ound emergency management.鈥� It also says the agency previously focused too much on 鈥渋ntersectional鈥� distribution of disaster aid, 鈥渄iversity and inclusion efforts鈥� and 鈥渕ulticultural training.鈥�
鈥淭he Budget reduces bloat and waste while encouraging States and communities to build resilience and use their unique local knowledge and ample resources in disaster response,鈥� Trump officials wrote in the budget summary about proposed changes at FEMA.
It鈥檚 too soon to say what that could mean for disaster-prone New Mexico, local emergency management officials said. But they noted that the state has relied on hundreds of millions of federal dollars for a variety of programs in recent years, even excluding the roughly $5.5 billion FEMA oversees in a special compensation fund for the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire.
鈥淚f you were to tell me tomorrow that the federal government were going to turn off the spigot, I would tell you that we will do everything we possibly can in our power and the governor鈥檚 power to take care of the citizens of New Mexico, but we as a state would struggle,鈥� New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Deputy Secretary Ali Rye told Source, noting that the state doesn鈥檛 exactly have 鈥渁mple resources鈥� for disaster response.
DHSEM鈥檚 budget is a little more than $5 million and funds a core staff of just two people to handle disaster response. Apart from that, the agency relies almost entirely on federal grants, primarily through FEMA, Rye said, for personnel and programs. The Legislature approved funding for five more positions this session in various capacities, Rye said.
A FEMA formula, based on the state鈥檚 population, calculates that New Mexico can withstand about $4 million in damage from a natural disaster before a federal disaster declaration would be necessary here.
Once that threshold is reached, state officials apply to FEMA for a Presidential Disaster Declaration, which allows the agency to show up in the state and offer a suite of federally funded programs, such as individual assistance for families affected and reimbursement of 75% of costs incurred by local governments and other public entities.
FEMA has allocated a little more than $1 billion for public entities following recent fires and floods here, according to numbers DHSEM spokesperson Danielle Silva provided, along with hundreds of millions in assistance for individuals.
Breakdown of federal disaster grants to New Mexico:
FEMA Disaster Case Management
- $25 million ($12M for Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire, $9M for South Fork/Salt Fires, $4M for Roswell-area flooding)
- This program provides daily communications and program application advocacy and support for more than more than 2,000 NM households affected by disasters, including nearly 1,000 in Mora and San Miguel, Counties, more than 900 in Lincoln County and Mescalero Apache Reservation and more than 350 in Chaves County).
FEMA Public Assistance
- $1.011 billion across all active disaster declarations
- Funding supports 890 projects for state, local and nonprofit entities to cover costs for emergency response measures and infrastructure like buildings, utilities, roads and bridges
FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
- $148 million
- Funding supports 86 mitigation projects statewide, including purchase of additional generators, hardening of potentially at-risk facilities and efforts to improve future disaster resilience.
鈥疕UD Community Development Block Grant 鈥� Disaster Recovery
- $141 million
- NM Impact: Programs to address unmet needs for housing, infrastructure and economic revitalization in communities impacted by the South Fork Fire and Salt Fire, as well as the Chaves Flood event and Building Resiliency Center to serve Mora and San Miguel Counties for the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire recovery effort.
*According to NM DHSEM spokesperson Danielle Silva
But whether those thresholds still apply is an open question, Rye said. She noted that Trump denied Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders鈥� for FEMA aid following severe rainstorms and tornadoes that killed at least three people.
鈥淭hey haven鈥檛 been using that formula,鈥� Rye said. 鈥淩ight now we鈥檙e all in a gray zone. We don鈥檛 know where that threshold is, and we won鈥檛 know until we apply for a federal declaration and we get either approved or denied.鈥�
In addition to the uncertainty and threatened cuts, New Mexico already lost $4 million in expected FEMA funds through the agency鈥檚 program, which was among across the country.
While that promised funding aimed at reducing hazard risk hadn鈥檛 been allocated, a number of worthy recipients applied, Silva said.
鈥淲e received a lot of project ideas, including improvements to low water crossings on bus routes, enhanced drainage systems, and clean drinking-water plans,鈥� she said.
The proposed cuts come as New Mexico continues to deal with the fallout of three major natural disasters in three years, including two that occurred in 2024: the wildfires in New Mexico in 2022, along with the South Fork and Salt Fires in Ruidoso and Roswell-area flooding last year.
The last time the state experienced two federal disaster declarations in the same year was 2014. Excluding the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, the state had a reprieve of nearly a decade without any federal disaster declarations before the 2022 wildfires.
The acting FEMA secretary is before the House Appropriations Committee about her plan for FEMA, which the Department of Homeland Security oversees. Sources told that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem hopes to get rid of all FEMA preparedness programs.
Rye estimated that New Mexico has funding from about 15 preparedness grants currently.
If recent disaster declarations serve as any indication, the state would need $150 million to $200 million to adequately respond to natural disasters, Silva said. FEMA would reimburse most of those costs, but others the state would have to shoulder alone, like setting up emergency operations centers and conducting damage assessments.
New Mexico pays for those disasters via governor鈥檚 executive orders coming from the state鈥檚 general fund. Those executive orders are capped at $750,000, meaning the governor often has to issue dozens of them at once to cover all the costs.
Already this year, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has issued more than for the South Fork and Salt Fire and Roswell-area flooding, for example.
Despite the threat of funding cuts, Rye and Silva said that, no matter what happens, New Mexicans will be spared the cost of natural disasters.
鈥淚 would guarantee you right now, the governor will not allow the citizens to struggle,鈥� she said, the next time a disaster occurs.
New Mexico files injunction against Trump tariffs-
New Mexico Attorney General Ra煤l Torrez on Wednesday announced the state has joined a coalition of attorneys general seeking a against President Donald Trump鈥檚 tariffs as part of against the tariffs. The request for a preliminary injunction, a news release from the AG鈥檚 office said, would stop the imposition of the tariffs during the litigation process.
A announcing the lawsuit last month said its arguments stem from Article 1 of the Constitution, which bestows the power to create tariffs solely upon Congress, excepting, perhaps, in emergency situations as delineated in the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. In the case of Trump鈥檚 tariffs, the AGs contend: Trump lacks the authority to impose them and no 鈥渦nusual and extraordinary threat鈥� justifies invocation of the IEEPA.
The Tuesday motion requests the U.S. Court of International Trade to order federal agencies to stop any tariffs the Trump administration has imposed and to pause the president鈥檚 plan on July 9 to raise tariffs on imports from more than 50 other trading partners.
鈥淭hese tariffs are both unlawful and reckless,鈥� Torrez said in a statement. 鈥淧resident Trump does not have the authority to impose these sweeping tariffs without a legitimate national emergency. These actions bypass Congress, violate the Constitution, and are already hitting American families in their wallets. We need immediate relief to stop further harm to working people.鈥�
The AGs office says the plaintiffs also submitted economic analyses to the court that 鈥渟hows that state and local governments in the 12 states joining the motion stand to pay at least $3.4 billion per year in additional costs due to the tariffs,鈥� along with a that notes businesses expect cost growth from the tariffs and most plan to pass those increased costs on to customers. Those economic analyses had not yet appeared on the court document list as of Wednesday afternoon.
Free high school equivalency tests coming soon in New Mexico- Leah Romero,
One hurdle to achieving a high school equivalency certificate will be removed next month when the New Mexico Higher Education Department starts providing free tests to qualifying residents.
, sponsored by Rep. Joy Garratt (D-Albuquerque), requires the state department to waive test costs for New Mexico residents who are at least 16; are not enrolled in secondary school; do not have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; and who have passed an official practice test showing they are likely to pass the official test.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the bill on April 7, making New Mexico the fifth state in the country to offer residents free equivalency tests. The bill goes into effect on June 20.
Auriella Ortiz, spokesperson for the Higher Education Department, told Source NM in a written statement that removing the 鈥渇inancial burden鈥� of tests is expected to increase test participation by 20% or more over the next three years. She added that the state has seen a nearly 50% increase in people taking high school equivalency tests since 2021.
Tests can cost more than $145 dollars per test, including fees for the test itself as well as proctoring.
鈥淭he passage of House Bill 167 will have a huge impact for our residents and allow them a pathway to basic education and potentially a pathway to higher education at New Mexico鈥檚 colleges and universities,鈥� Ortiz wrote. 鈥淭his legislation removes obstacles that will positively impact tens of thousands of New Mexicans.鈥�
Ortiz explained that the department currently has an ad hoc voucher program to provide free tests to New Mexicans, but there are still some barriers present.
She said New Mexicans who earn a high school diploma or equivalent credential earn $6,465 more annually than those without.
鈥淲e should note that, given the average increase in salary just mentioned, the free testing system will pay for itself each year in income tax alone. It鈥檚 a win for the state,鈥� Ortiz wrote. 鈥淛ust as we have invested in tuition-free college and a trained workforce, a program of free high school equivalency tests for all New Mexicans in need is part of our state鈥檚 continued push for a strong economy.鈥�
Rio Rancho Public Schools Communications Director Wyndham Kemsley told Source NM in an email that while the district is not directly involved in high school equivalency testing, its officials are pleased that the state is expanding access to credentials.
鈥淲hile the main priority of RRPS is to help our students attain high school diplomas through traditional routes, widening access to high school equivalency testing will undoubtedly benefit our state鈥檚 workforce,鈥� he wrote.
Cannabis executive and former cabinet secretary considering run for governor- Dan Boyd,
Since returning to the United States last week from a trade mission to Asia, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has been making the rounds to sound the alarm about possible federal budget cuts.
The governor on Tuesday described GOP proposals to reduce federal Medicaid spending as a 鈥渄espicable effort鈥� during a virtual press event with three other Democratic governors.
Before that, she made appearances on CNN and Bloomberg TV to push back against President Donald Trump鈥檚 trade and health care policies.
During Tuesday鈥檚 event with the governors of Kansas, Kentucky and Hawaii, Lujan Grisham said up to half of the covered by Medicaid 鈥� nearly 40% of the state鈥檚 population 鈥� could lose health care coverage if Congress approves a budget bill scaling back federal funding.
In addition, she said 46% of the nation鈥檚 rural hospitals are already struggling to stay open and could be shuttered if federal Medicaid spending is reduced.
鈥淚t is in fact an all-out assault on America鈥檚 health care system,鈥� said the governor, who also warned of the harmful impact of Trump鈥檚 promised tariffs on imported prescription drugs.
State lawmakers in 2020 approved a bill allowing New Mexico to import prescription medications from Canada for resale to state residents. A state Department of Health spokesman said Tuesday no medications have been imported under the law yet, but the state is pursuing an importation program.
Lujan Grisham, who is scheduled to return to New Mexico on Wednesday after attending a Clinton Global Initiative event on reproductive health in New York City, has also previously voiced concern about possible federal budget cuts.
She said in February that proposed federal budget cuts to Medicaid and other programs to Santa Fe for a special session before the end of this year.
But her recent media circuit indicates Lujan Grisham could be taking on a larger national role as a prominent Democrat speaking out about congressional Republicans鈥� health care votes.
The governor was last year by Kamala Harris鈥� campaign team as a possible running mate before Harris lost to Trump in the general election.
Her second term as governor ends in 2026, and Lujan Grisham has clashed with fellow New Mexico Democrats on the issues of crime and child welfare over the past year.
On the national level, Lujan Grisham said during the Bloomberg TV interview on Monday that she鈥檚 had recent conversations with Trump administration officials, including about veteran-related issues.
鈥淢y job is to create stability in every single relationship in the federal government,鈥� she said, specifically citing her connections to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who are both former governors.
But she also said she is prepared to 鈥減unch above her weight class鈥� when the Trump administration pursues policies that negatively impact New Mexicans.