A measles outbreak that sickened 762 people in Texas since late January has officially ended, according to state health officials. No new cases have been reported for over 42 days, meeting the threshold set by public health experts.
The last person to contract an outbreak-related case had symptoms on July 1, and two unvaccinated children died from the virus earlier this year. The outbreak spread to 37 counties and was linked to similar outbreaks in Canada and Mexico.
Texas has reported a significant number of measles cases, with over 1,300 confirmed cases nationwide as of August 5. The US is experiencing its worst year for measles in decades due to declining vaccination rates and increasing parental exemptions from school requirements.
The outbreak’s epicenter was West Texas, particularly among undervaccinated Mennonite communities in Gaines County. Despite the outbreak being over, officials warn that more cases may still occur as the virus spreads globally.
This year, at least 19 US states have reported measles outbreaks, with similar outbreaks in Mexico and Canada. The Texas Department of State Health Services credits testing, vaccination, monitoring, and education for helping to contain the outbreak.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/measles-vaccine-outbreak-texas-mmr-0744a165cfb354022092a1f158c698b0