DALLAS, Texas--- The Texas health department has reported a slight rise in the number of measles cases statewide, rising to 561 from 541 on April 11.
Meanwhile, the US government said it would send federal experts to help state authorities in its battle to prevent the spread of measles.
Meanwhile, an official from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. David Sugarmen, said this week that the federal response to the measles outbreak was being slowed due to the cancellation of some $11 billion in federal grants to states that were allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We are scraping to find the resources and personnel needed to provide support to Texas and other jurisdictions," Sugerman said.
Sugerman confirmed that the CDC had earlier sent 15 staff members to Texas to provide on-site technical assistance through April 1. He added that a second team is also being sent to Texas.
To date, the CDC has provided infection prevention control systems to seven hospitals and helped local schools to develop school infection control strategies.
