In this handout from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the skin of a patient after three days of measles infection. (CDC via Getty Images)
The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting an outbreak of measles in Gaines County. As of Feb. 7, 2025, 10 cases have been identified with symptom-onset within the last two weeks.
Eight of the cases are among school-aged children and two cases are under the age of 5. Seven of the patients have been hospitalized. All the cases are unvaccinated and residents of Gaines County.
The next update from the Texas Department of State Health Services on the number of cases identified is expected to come on Tuesday.
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.
Where is Gaines County?
Gaines County is about 370 miles directly west of Dallas, near the Texas-New Mexico border. It is about 87 miles southwest of Lubbock.
Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in Gaines County and the surrounding communities.
DSHS is working with South Plains Public Health District and Lubbock Public Health to investigate the outbreak.
Other Reports of Measles:
In January 2025, the Houston Health Department confirmed two cases of measles associated with international travel in unvaccinated Harris County residents. Those were the first Texas measles cases since 2023 and prompted a DSHS health alert on January 23.
There is no suspected link between the Gaines County outbreak and the Harris County cases.
CDC updates measles prevention guidelines for travelers
Measles, still prevalent in many countries, primarily spreads through international travel, often by unvaccinated Americans.
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.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Texas Department of State Health Services.