NEW MEXICO (TNND) — A New Mexico resident who tested positive for measles is being reported as the second death of the virus after an outbreak in Texas killed an unvaccinated school-aged child .

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) reported Thursday that the person was unvaccinated and the official cause of death is still under investigation.

"The individual did not seek medical care before passing," officials added.

New Mexico has only reported 10 measles cases this year while the outbreak in Texas has grown to 159 cases. Most of the cases have been confirmed in Lea County, which borders western Texas.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that they were sending a team to Texas to help local public health officials respond to the outbreak, which began in late January.

Measles is a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours. Up to 9 out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed, according to the CDC.

The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is safe and highly effective at preventing infection and severe cases. The first shot is recommended for children ages 12 to 15 months, and the second for ages 4 to 6 years.

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Editor's note : The Associated Press contributed to this article.