Texas measles outbreak 2025: Health officials confirm 505 cases in state

State health officials on Tuesday said the number of measles cases in the state linked to a West Texas outbreak has grown to 505 since January.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported 24 new cases and one new hospitalization in Tuesday's update.

The increase in cases included the first cases in Randall and Borden counties.

The state reported a second child's death from complications related to having measles on April 3.

The Latest:

State health officials reported 24 new cases of measles on Tuesday, with the highest number of new cases again being reported in Gaines County.

Gaines County reported an additional 13 cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of reported cases to 328. The county accounts for 65% of the state's cases.

The state also reported the first cases in Borden and Randall counties, with each county reporting one case each.

The outbreak has seen 57 people hospitalized since the outbreak started. Only one new hospitalization was reported in Tuesday's update.

All 24 cases reported on Tuesday were in people who were not vaccinated. 

Since January, seven cases have been reported in people who were considered fully vaccinated and three cases in people who only had one dose of the vaccine.

The other 495 cases were reported in people who were either not vaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown.

In Texas, two school-aged children have died from complications with the measles. Both were not vaccinated and had no known underlying conditions, state health officials said.

READ MORE: RFK Jr. attends funeral for Texas child who died of measles

By the numbers:

Here are the total cases by county:

• Gaines County: 328
• Lubbock County: 36
• Lynn County: 2
• Terry County: 46
• Yoakum County: 17
• Dawson County: 20
• Ector County: 8
• Dallam County: 7
• Martin County: 3
• Cochran County : 10
• Lamar County: 11
• Garza County: 2
• Hale County: 5
• Hockley County: 3
• Lamb County: 1
• Andrews County: 1
• Midland County: 1
• Brown County: 1
• Erath County: 1
• Borden County: 1
• Randall County: 1

Here are the total cases by age:

• 0-4 years: 160 cases
• 5-17 years: 191 cases
• 18+: 130 cases
• Unknown: 24 cases

READ MORE: Measles vaccination rates in Texas: Find your school district.

Here is the vaccination status of the patients:

• Not Vaccinated/unknown status: 495
• Vaccinated with one dose: 3
• Vaccinated with two or more doses: 7

What's next:

The Texas Department of State Health Services releases case updates on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Other measles cases in Texas

There have been other cases reported in Texas, but officials say they were not connected to the outbreak in West Texas.

Most of the cases were connected to international travel.

• Harris County: 3
• Fort Bend: 1
• Rockwall County: 1
• Travis County: 1

What is measles?

Why you should care:

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness. The virus is transmitted by direct contact with infectious droplets or by airborne spread when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. 

Measles virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. 

Illness onset (high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes) begins a week or two after someone is exposed. A few days later, the telltale rash breaks out as flat, red spots on the face and then spreads down the neck and trunk to the rest of the body. 

A person is contagious about four days before the rash appears to four days after. People with measles should stay home from work or school during that period.

Symptoms of Measles

Common symptoms of measles include: 

• High fever (as high as 105°F)
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red and watery eyes
• Tiny white spots that may appear inside the mouth 2-3 days after symptoms begin
• Rash 3-5 days after other signs of illness. The "measles rash" typically starts at the face and then spreads down to the rest of the body.

How to prevent getting measles

The best way to prevent getting sick is to be immunized with two doses of a vaccine against measles, which is primarily administered as the combination measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are highly effective at preventing measles.

Some vaccinated people can occasionally develop measles; however, they generally experience milder symptoms and are less likely to spread the disease to other people.

What to do if you've been exposed to measles

If you think you have measles or have been exposed to someone with measles, isolate yourself from others and call your healthcare provider before arriving to be tested so they can prepare for your arrival without exposing other people to the virus. Measles is extremely contagious and can cause life-threatening illness to anyone who is not protected against the virus. Review your and your child’s vaccination history to see if you are up-to-date on your measles vaccines. Additionally, discuss with your provider your vaccination history and any questions about these vaccines.

Controlling outbreaks in group settings

• People with confirmed or suspected measles should stay home from school, work, and other group settings until after the fourth day of rash onset.
• During an outbreak, people without documented immunity from vaccination or previous measles infection should be isolated from anyone with measles to protect those without immunity and control the outbreak.
• According to the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Rule §97.7, schools and childcare settings shall exclude unimmunized children for at least 21 days after the last date the unimmunized child was exposed to a measles case.

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