Prime Highlights:
Cases have risen to 124, with 18 hospitalizations.
The outbreak is mainly concentrated in Gaines County (80 cases), with additional cases in 8 other West Texas counties.
Key Background:
A measles outbreak in West Texas has escalated to 124 confirmed cases, with 18 individuals requiring hospitalization, as reported by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. This increase of 34 cases since Friday is concentrated in Gaines County, which alone has reported 80 cases. Additional cases have been identified across eight other counties, including Terry, Dawson, Yoakum, Dallam, Martin, Ector, and Lubbock and Lynn.
The majority of those infected are either unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status. Only five of the 124 individuals diagnosed with measles have received the recommended vaccination. The outbreak has raised concerns about the importance of immunization, with health authorities urging the public to ensure they are vaccinated against the disease. The measles vaccine, commonly administered as part of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) combination vaccine, is highly effective in preventing the spread of the virus and typically results in less severe cases if an individual does contract measles.
The Texas health department strongly recommends that individuals, particularly children, receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, with the first dose typically given between the ages of 12 and 15 months and the second dose between 4 and 6 years old. Vaccination is required for most children entering public school, though Texas allows exemptions for religious or conscience-based reasons. As a result, the number of children exempted from vaccinations has increased in recent years. In Gaines County, nearly 14 percent of schoolchildren opted out of at least one required vaccine during the 2023-24 school year, with the actual figure likely higher due to homeschooling. While New Mexico has also reported a measles outbreak in Lea County, it is not believed to be connected to the Texas outbreak.
