The New Mexico health department on Friday reported four more measles cases among state inmates, bringing the total number of cases so far this year to five.
Officials reported the first case of the year on Feb. 24: a federal inmate held in the Hidalgo County Detention Center with an unknown vaccination status.
One of the four new cases also is housed at the Hidalgo facility; two of the inmates are housed in the Luna County Detention Center; and one is housed in the Doña Ana County Detention Center.
“These new infections serve as a reminder that measles can spread rapidly and that the best prevention against this virus is the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot,” Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Chad Smelser said in a statement. “We encourage everyone eligible to receive vaccine, including those who work in correctional facilities and other congregate settings, to get vaccinated.”
According to a health department news release, NMDOH has not identified public locations in which people may have been exposed and is working with the detention facilities on their quarantine, isolation, testing and vaccination protocols.
The new cases follow a 2025 statewide measles outbreak that infected 100 people, the largest number of confirmed cases in at least three decades.
State health officials urge anyone with symptoms or any possible exposures to call the state’s helpline at 1-833-796-8773 to speak to a nurse in English or Spanish.