Texas health officials issued a warning on Tuesday about an ongoing measles outbreak in the state. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 24 measles cases have been confirmed in Gaines County over the past two weeks. Furthermore, it has come to light that all affected individuals were unvaccinated residents of the northwestern Texas county. These 22 of the cases involved children and nine patients have required hospitalization.
Current Outbreak Details
Representatives from the Texas Health Department and the CDC were unavailable for immediate comments on measles spread.
According to recent reports from Reuters:
“Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in Gaines County and the surrounding communities.”
The Texas measles outbreak marks a jump in the known cases in the U.S. Moreover, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) later reported only 14 other cases in the country so far this year.
Rising Cases in Mexico
The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDH) also issued an alert yesterday about potential measles exposure. The cases were reported at a hospital emergency department and school gymnasium in Lovington. Moreover, cases were confirmed through infection in an unvaccinated Lea County teenager.
Further statements of the U.S. measles cases came forward by Miranda Durham, MD, chief medical officer for the NMDH.
“It is important to get up to date on vaccinations now, especially if you or your children are not fully immunized for measles.”
She further stated about the vaccine doses for increasing measles cases.
“Measles can spread easily, whether you’re in Lea County or elsewhere in the state if you’re not current on the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.”
CDC 2024 Reports and the Current Scenario
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
“Currently, there have been 2 outbreaks reported in 2025, and 64% of cases (9 of 14) are outbreak-associated.”
The outbreak of measles in Texas continues to rise. Measles cases were eliminated in the year 2000. However, as vaccine rates decreased with time, the disease has again seen a rebound. Furthermore, the CDC also reported that in the year 2024, 285 cases in 33 states were reported. 89% of the cases last year were due to unvaccinated or of unknown vaccine status. Additionally, in 2024, the CDC also reported that coverage for kindergarten children fell below 93%.
The Vaccination Drive
Health officials in Gaines County established a drive-through vaccination clinic last week and are providing screening services for residents. Meanwhile, the New Mexico Department of Health will launch no-appointment vaccination clinics in Hobbs beginning next week. Moreover, according to the CDC, measles is a highly infectious illness. Its symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after virus exposure. Medical providers should report suspected US measles cases immediately to the Department of Health. Visit Benefits by State for more insights.
