The measles outbreak in Texas is now at its worst in decades. Measles cases have been confirmed by health officials in Texas since late January 2025, with more than 663 cases in the state. It is the biggest number of cases the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has ever seen in 25 years. Across Texas and neighboring states, public health leaders have been warning that the virus is spreading rapidly, especially among unvaccinated people, sparking alarm.
Activity has now spread to at least 10 counties with active transmission, and the outbreak first began in Gaines County, West Texas. Lubbock, Lamar, Terry, and Yoakum Counties are among those places that were highly affected. The outbreak is not yet ending, and health specialists note that nothing has changed.
Hospitalizations and Deaths Reported
Measles has caused 87 people to be hospitalized so far. Unfortunately, two children are sadly dead, school-aged. Neither had been vaccinated and did not have known preexisting health conditions. Among these cases, the severity of measles is demonstrated, with measles causing pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death, particularly among children and those with lower immunity.
A student at Willow Springs Middle School in Collin County was reported to have contracted measles. It was the first case confirmed in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in 2019.
Infections Also Spread Beyond Texas
The outbreak area has gone beyond the borders of the state. Western Texas hadn’t seen a dengue outbreak since 1955 until the cases in Oklahoma and New Mexico, which have been linked to the outbreak there. New Mexico had 66 cases and Oklahoma had 12 as of late April. However, including those cases brings the total to at least 741 in three states.
Furthermore, numerous travelers who were recently in West Texas found out that upon returning home, they became infected with measles; for instance, in Rockwall County, an adult acquired measles. But the fact that the virus has been able to spread has made it more difficult for officials to contain it.
Vaccine Hesitancy Fuels the Outbreak
The majority of those being infected are still unvaccinated, health experts say. Although measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world spreads rapidly in low vaccination rates. When given in both doses, the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine is 97% effective at preventing that disease.
But in the United States, measles was eliminated in the year 2000, thanks to vaccination, everywhere except for isolated pockets of communities. Nevertheless, in recent years, there have been instances of reduced immunization rates in certain communities along with a rise in vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. The country’s elimination status is at risk due to outbreaks such as the one in Texas, warns the CDC.
Public Health Officials Respond
The Texas health officials are urging families to immunize their children and be aware of their immunization records. Local health departments are teaming up with many school districts in monitoring students and notifying parents of the students who have tested positive for the virus. The spread is also getting attention from public health agencies that are contributing symptom tips and advising that if anyone might have measles, they should stay at home and avoid public spaces.
The Texas Department of State Health Services says only a few cases are still infectious of the 663 total confirmed. However, the state is still on high alert as new cases continue to crop up.
Conclusion
A critical reminder of the importance of vaccines, the growing measles outbreak in Texas is happening. The state has a serious public health challenge with more than 80 hospitalizations and over 600 cases. The virus is now spreading across multiple counties and in neighboring states. The officials are urging communities to act, get vaccinated, and stop further transmission. Although rates of vaccination have yet to improve, outbreaks like this could become more common and harder to contain.
