Measles Outbreak in West Texas Grows to 48 Confirmed Cases

February 15, 2025 TruthUSA

The majority of those infected are children.

Health officials in Texas announced that the measles outbreak in western Texas has surged to at least 48 confirmed cases as of Friday.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, most affected individuals are children, with 13 patients currently hospitalized.

Except for six cases, all others are reported from the lightly populated Gaines County near the New Mexico border, with additional cases reported in adjacent Lynn, Terry, and Yoakum counties.

The outbreak was initially flagged two weeks ago when officials reported two instances of measles in unvaccinated school-aged children from Gaines County. Both children were hospitalized in Lubbock and have since been discharged. Last week, the count climbed to 10 and has continued to escalate.

The current number of cases has surpassed the total from the 2013 outbreak, which originated when an unvaccinated traveler returned from Indonesia and transmitted the virus within a church community. That outbreak recorded a total of 27 cases throughout the state in 2013, marking the highest annual case count in over two decades.

Lara Anton, spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services, indicated that the recent outbreak seems to have started within a Mennonite community in Gaines County. Although the Mennonite church does not broadly oppose vaccinations, many families in this rural region opt for homeschooling or small private schools, where vaccination mandates may not apply.

“It’s not the church’s position driving vaccination rates; it’s personal choice,” Anton clarified. “The community generally does not engage in regular healthcare services.”

Texas isn’t the only location facing new measles cases. Earlier in January, health authorities in Texas announced two reported cases in Houston involving unvaccinated adults with recent international travel histories.

Measles is a highly contagious airborne virus that spreads rapidly through respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing. Common symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, and a characteristic rash that typically starts on the face and spreads over the body. In severe cases, measles can lead to significant complications or death.

Cases of measles have surged significantly, more than two decades after the disease was officially declared eliminated in the U.S., meaning there was no ongoing spread for 12 continuous months. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that more cases of measles have been documented in the first three months of 2024 than in all of 2023.

Texas and federal health officials continue to assert that vaccination remains the most effective means to prevent measles. The immunization requires two doses.

On February 13, the Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Kennedy, known as a vocal advocate for vaccine safety, stated during his confirmation hearing that he is neither anti-vaccine nor opposed to the recommended vaccine schedule, expressing support for certain vaccinations.

“I endorse the measles vaccine. I endorse the polio vaccine,” he stated. “As HHS secretary, my actions will not obstruct or deter individuals from obtaining these vaccines.”

This report includes contributions from the Associated Press.

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