Measles cases in Texas have risen to 124 in the western region of the state, according to new data from the Texas Department of State Health Services released Tuesday. The previous number, reported on Friday, was 90 cases in seven counties.
Of those cases, 18 people have been hospitalized. Five of the cases are people who were already vaccinated, while the rest are unvaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown.
The outbreak is largely spreading in the Mennonite community in an area where small towns are separated by vast stretches of oil rig-dotted open land but connected due to people traveling between towns for work, church, grocery shopping and other day-to-day errands.
Brownfield Mayor Eric Horton, a Republican, said he believes in the safety of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine because it has been used for so many years and has stopped measles from spreading in the U.S.
Brownfield is in Terry County, which has 21 cases.
“I’ve never seen it this close, ever,” Horton said. “I know that we’ve had a few outbreaks in years past but as far as right here, making national news, that is shocking.”
Measles is a highly contagious disease. Here's what you should know about how to protect yourself against measles, as well as what's happening in Texas and New Mexico.
Where is measles spreading?
Cases have spread to two new counties, bringing the total number of counties affected to nine.
The cases are still concentrated in Gaines County, which reports 80 infections, and Terry County, which has 21. Dawson has seven, Yoakum has five, Martin has three, Ector has two, and Lubbock and Lynn still each have one.
Nine cases have been identified in New Mexico’s Lea County, which borders Gaines County. State public health officials said last week there's still no evidence New Mexico's outbreak is connected to the one in Texas.
Beyond the West Texas region, officials have reported measles exposure at college campuses and restaurants in San Marcos, New Braunfels and San Antonio, attributed to an infected individual or individuals from Gaines County.
DSHS is investigating the outbreak and says cases will likely continue to rise due to the “highly contagious nature” of the disease.
State health officials have said this outbreak is Texas' largest in nearly 30 years. Cases have been concentrated in a “close-knit, undervaccinated” Mennonite community, health department spokeswoman Lara Anton has said — especially among families who attend small private religious schools or are homeschooled.
A Brownfield resident and father of three told The Associated Press that he’s not too concerned about the outbreak.
“I only found out because it was a word-of-mouth thing,” said Dylan Cruz, 28, whose children are vaccinated against measles.
What is measles?
Measles is a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours. Up to nine out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most kids will recover from the measles if they get it, but infection can lead to dangerous complications like pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.
What is the age range of measles carriers in Texas?
The majority of cases, 67, can be attributed to children and teens ages five through 17. There are 39 cases among young children four years old and younger. There are 18 cases among those ages 18 and up. Five cases are pending.
Symptoms and vaccination
Symptoms of measles include:
- High fever (up to 105°F)
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes
- Sore throat
- Rash (typically appears 3–5 days after initial symptoms, starting on the face and spreading downward)
Doctors recommend two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to avoid a measles infection. The CDC recommends those who aren’t sure if they were already vaccinated as children or don’t have access to their vaccination records to still get vaccinated as there is no harm in getting another dose.
Is the vaccine safe?
The MMR vaccine is safe and highly effective in preventing measles infection and severe cases of the disease.
The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old. The vaccine series is required for kids before entering kindergarten in public schools nationwide.
Before the vaccine was introduced in 1963, the U.S. saw some 3 million to 4 million cases per year. Now, it’s usually fewer than 200 in a normal year.
There is no link between the vaccine and autism, despite a now-discredited study and health disinformation.
Why do vaccination rates matter?
In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”
But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.
The U.S. saw a rise in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60. Five years earlier, measles cases were the worst in almost three decades in 2019.
Gaines County has one of the highest rates in Texas of school-aged children who opt out of at least one required vaccine, with nearly 14% of K-12 children in the 2023-24 school year. Health officials say that number is likely higher because it doesn’t include many children who are homeschooled and whose data would not be reported.
What are public health officials doing to stop the spread?
New Mexico health officials are hosting vaccination clinics on Wednesday and Thursday.
In Texas, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control is providing “technical assistance, laboratory support and vaccines as needed,” the agency told the AP. But the state health department is taking the lead in the outbreak investigation.
Workers in the West Texas region are hosting regular vaccination clinics and screening efforts, and also said they're working with schools to educate people about the importance of vaccination and offering shots.
Dr. Martin Ortega is a family medicine physician for Texas Tech Physicians of the Permian Basin-Odessa in in Ector County, where the county health department told the Odessa American that a child too young to be vaccinated got the measles.
Ortega said the vast distances between people in West Texas is a unique challenge for health officials.
“It is something that puts us on a shared higher alert because we are interconnected and we don’t see ourselves as that far from each other,” he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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