A measles outbreak in West Texas has prompted health officials to clarify statistics and raise concerns across the state. As of Friday, February 28, there have been 146 reported cases of measles in Texas, with an unvaccinated school-aged child having died from the virus.
The majority of cases are concentrated in nine counties in West Texas and the Panhandle, including almost 100 in Gaines County. However, no cases have been confirmed in Bexar County or Central Texas.
To clarify a recent incident, Legacy Traditional School in Cibolo announced that measles was detected in a first-grade classroom, but it was actually a case of rubella, also known as German measles or three-day measles. Rubella is caused by a different virus than measles and has similar symptoms.
The best protection against both viruses is the MMR or MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. Health officials emphasize that people who have had measles once cannot get it again.
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by one of the world’s most infectious viruses. It can be deadly in babies and young children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include high fever, runny nose, cough, red watery eyes, and a rash that typically appears three to five days after the first symptoms.
Complications from measles can be severe, including hospitalizations, pneumonia, encephalitis, and death. There is no specific treatment for measles, but vaccination is the best defense against both viruses.
Source: https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2025/02/28/measles-rubella-and-chickenpox-the-differences-between-the-highly-contagious-viruses