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Measles Outbreak in Texas Expands to 259 Cases, Two Deaths Reported

Low vaccination rates and high transmissibility drive the largest U.S. measles outbreak in 30 years, with cases spreading to 11 Texas counties and beyond.

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Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services, testifies during a Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing for his pending confirmation on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Raynard Covarrubio fills a syringe with the MMR vaccine, at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas.

Overview

  • The Texas measles outbreak has grown to 259 confirmed cases, with 34 hospitalizations and two deaths, including one unvaccinated child in Texas and one individual in New Mexico.
  • Gaines County remains the epicenter with 174 cases, driven by low vaccination rates, while the outbreak has now spread to 11 counties and neighboring states like New Mexico.
  • Health officials emphasize vaccination as the most effective prevention method, with the MMR vaccine being 97% effective after two doses, but vaccination rates in the U.S. have been declining in recent years.
  • Measles is highly contagious, with the virus capable of infecting 90% of unvaccinated individuals exposed, and can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, and immune system damage.
  • Efforts to contain the outbreak include vaccination clinics and public health campaigns, while experts warn against dangerous practices like 'measles parties' to intentionally expose children to the virus.