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4w ago

U.S. Measles Outbreak Reaches 483 Cases, Texas at the Center

The outbreak, driven by low vaccination rates, has spread to 20 states and Mexico, resulting in two deaths and 70 hospitalizations.

A sign reading "measles testing" is seen as an outbreak in Gaines County, Texas, has raised concerns over its spread to other parts of the state, in Seminole, Texas, U.S., February 25, 2025.
Jennifer Sanchez holds medical records as she walks with her children after she got vaccine appointments for them at the Ector County Health Department Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, in Odessa, Texas.
A sign warning of measles is posted on a glass door as a patient checks in for an appointment in the family medicine wing of at the Texas Tech Physicians of the Permian Basin Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, in Odessa, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Overview

  • Texas accounts for 400 of the 483 confirmed measles cases in the U.S., with Gaines County serving as the epicenter of the outbreak.
  • The outbreak has spread to 20 states, including New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas, as well as Mexico, raising concerns about international transmission.
  • Nearly all cases involve unvaccinated individuals or those with unknown vaccination status, highlighting the impact of declining vaccination rates.
  • Two deaths have been reported, one in Texas and one under investigation in New Mexico, marking the first U.S. measles fatalities in over a decade.
  • Public health officials are intensifying vaccination campaigns, but experts warn the outbreak could persist for months due to the highly contagious nature of measles and low community immunity.