Texas health officials are reporting two new cases of measles in West Texas, tied to an ongoing outbreak that has already identified 744 cases. The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has reduced the number of counties designated as “outbreak counties” from 8 to 6.
The outbreak, centered in Gaines County, has reported 411 cases since January, accounting for more than half of the state’s total cases. Other affected counties include Dawson, Lamar, and Lubbock.
As of Tuesday, there have been 96 hospitalizations reported, with 19 cases among fully vaccinated individuals and 18 cases among those with only one dose of the vaccine. A total of 705 people who tested positive were unvaccinated.
Tragically, two school-aged children in Texas have died from complications related to measles, both of whom were not vaccinated and had no underlying conditions.
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, with a telltale rash breaking out 3-5 days after other signs of illness.
To prevent getting measles, it’s essential to be immunized with two doses of the MMR vaccine, which is primarily administered as a combination vaccine. Vaccinated individuals may experience milder symptoms, but can still spread the disease to others.
If you think you’ve been exposed to measles or have been diagnosed with the illness, isolate yourself from others and call your healthcare provider before arriving for testing. Review your vaccination history to ensure you’re up-to-date on your measles vaccines.
Source: https://www.fox4news.com/news/texas-measles-outbreak-2025-june-10-update