Texas measles outbreak 2025: More than 200 cases reported by the state

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TEXAS - More than 200 cases of measles have been confirmed in West Texas since late January, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

25 additional cases have been reported since the previous official DSHS update on Friday.

Almost all the new cases are in Gaines County, about 80 miles southwest of Lubbock.

Texas measles outbreak

The Latest Update::

223 cases of measles have been confirmed in connection to the department since late January, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

19 of the 25 new cases are from Gaines County, the center of the outbreak.

All the new cases are in counties that have previously reported confirmed cases.

In Texas, one school-aged child died from complications with the measles and 29 patients have been hospitalized.

There were three additional hospitalizations in the latest update.

By the numbers:

The Texas Department of State Health Services released more information about the 223 cases in the state in connection to the outbreak centered in Gaines County.

Measles cases have also been detected in Austin and Rockwall County, but both of those cases involved people who had traveled abroad. The cases are not included in the update from DSHS.

It is the biggest measles outbreak in Texas in the last 30 years.

Here are the total cases by county:

Gaines County: 156
Lubbock County: 3
Lynn County: 2
Terry County: 32
Yoakum County: 10
Dawson County: 10
Ector County: 2
Dallam County: 5
Martin County: 3

Here are the total cases by age:

0-4 years: 76 cases
5-17 years: 98 cases
18+: 38 cases
Unknown: 11 cases

Here is the vaccination status of the patients:

Not Vaccinated: 80
Unknown Status: 138
Vaccinated with at least one dose: 5

What's next:

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

New Mexico measles cases

Dig deeper:

An adult who was infected with measles died in New Mexico, according to state officials.

The person was from Lea County, just across the state line from Texas. The person was unvaccinated and did not seek medical care.

According to the New Mexico Department of Health, "The deceased, an unvaccinated Lea County adult, tested positive for measles after death and did not seek medical care before passing, according to laboratory confirmation from the NMDOH Scientific Laboratory Division, though the official cause of death remains under investigation by the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator."

New Mexico health officials did not link the outbreak there to the Texas cases.

So far, 33 measles cases have been confirmed in Lea County and 1 in Eddy County. The New Mexico Department of Health reports there have been no hospitalizations. Of the 33 cases, 27 are invaccinated, one had at least one dose, and the vaccination status for the other five is unknown.

Age Ranges of Measles Cases in New Mexico

0-4 years: 5 cases
5-17 years: 8 cases
18+: 18 cases
Unknown: 2 cases

Since Feb. 1, nearly 9,000 New Mexicans have received the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine – as compared to 5,342 MMR vaccinations in the same time period last year.

Oklahoma Measles cases reported

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) reported two cases of measles on March 11.

Officials say one of the cases reported exposure associated with the Texas and New Mexico outbreak. The other reported experiencing symptoms consistent with measles.

Officials have not specified where in Oklahoma the cases were reported, or given the ages of the two people.

OSDH says there is no public health threat associated with the cases at this time.

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 for 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.

The Source: Information in this article is from the Texas Department of State Health Services, the New Mexico Department of Health and the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

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