Outbreaks of measles in parts of Texas and New Mexico have sickened nearly 100 people, according to state health officials who warned that the number of cases was expected to rise. An outbreak has been spreading through the South Plains region of Texas since late January, the Texas Department of State Health Services said on Friday. Measles vaccination rates in the region lag significantly below federal targets. On Friday, the department confirmed 90 cases of measles, with at least 77 of them being children. Sixteen people have been hospitalized, the department said. The cases come amid growing concerns by public health experts about declining vaccination rates and the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine skeptic, as the nation’s health secretary.
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