Texas Measles Outbreak Surges to 124 Confirmed Cases

February 26, 2025 TruthUSA

According to state officials, it is expected that the number of cases will continue to increase due to the ‘highly contagious nature’ of the illness.

In Texas, the ongoing measles outbreak—the largest the state has faced in recent years—has escalated to 124 confirmed cases, as reported by health officials on Tuesday.

The Texas Department of State Health Services indicated that 18 of those infected have required hospitalization. The vast majority of the cases involve individuals under 18 years old, including 39 infections in children under 4 and 62 in those aged 5 to 17.

Five patients had already received vaccinations, while the rest were either unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status.

As of February 21, health officials reported 90 cases across seven counties. The virus has now spread to Dallam and Martin counties, increasing the total number of affected counties to nine.

Currently, the outbreak is primarily concentrated in Gaines County (80 cases) and Terry County (21 cases), with other counties reporting cases in single digits.

“Given the highly contagious nature of this disease, we anticipate additional cases in the outbreak area and nearby communities,” stated the state health department.

Furthermore, health officials have reported measles exposure at university campuses and restaurants located in San Marcos, New Braunfels, and San Antonio. This exposure was traced back to an individual from the outbreak area who visited two major universities and several popular tourist spots before testing positive for the virus.

In addition, Lea County in New Mexico, which shares a border with Gaines County, has recorded nine cases.

Measles is caused by a virus that is easily transmitted through the air via coughing and sneezing. Common symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, and a distinct rash that starts on the face and spreads throughout the body.

In severe cases, measles can lead to serious neurological or respiratory complications. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that deaths due to measles complications occur in one to three out of every 1,000 reported cases in the country.

More than twenty years after the disease was declared eliminated in the United States—meaning there had been no continuous cases for 12 months—measles is experiencing a resurgence. The CDC’s data indicates that the number of measles cases reported in the first three months of 2024 exceeds those from all of 2023.

Officials at both state and federal levels have reiterated that vaccination remains the best defense against measles. The vaccination process consists of two separate doses.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known proponent of vaccine safety who recently became the Secretary of Health and Human Services, has launched an initiative to investigate potential health risks linked to vaccines and various other factors.

In his initial address to HHS staff, Kennedy announced that the Make America Healthy Again Commission—established last week via an executive order by President Donald Trump—will assess vaccines, pesticides, and antidepressants to determine their potential contributions to the increasing rates of chronic conditions in children, such as ADHD and obesity.

“Some of the factors we plan to explore have previously been regarded as taboo or inadequately studied,” he stated.

“We will thoroughly evaluate the childhood vaccine schedule, electromagnetic radiation, glyphosate, other pesticides, ultra-processed foods, artificial food additives, SSRIs and other psychiatric medications, BFAs, PFOAs, microplastics—nothing will be off-limits.”

Source link