Skip to main content

Number of Measles Cases Now 58 in West Texas Outbreak

By Stephanie Brown HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Feb 21, 2025.

via HealthDay

THURSDAY, Feb. 20, 2025 -- New numbers have been released by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) in an update on the measles outbreak in Gaines County and the surrounding communities: 58 individuals, including at least 48 children and six adults, have been infected as of Feb. 18.

Gaines County remains the hotspot of the outbreak (45 cases), but surrounding counties are also beginning to see cases: nine cases in Terry County, two in Yoakum County, one in Lynn County, and one in Lubbock County. Most cases have been identified among unvaccinated individuals; however, four individuals say they have been vaccinated. Symptom onset began within the last three weeks, and so far, 13 patients have been hospitalized.

Free vaccination clinics for the community are being hosted by the local health departments in West Texas. At a clinic hosted by the South Plains Public Health District, which includes Gaines County, there have been at least 95 measles-mumps-rubella vaccinations, according to Zach Holbrooks, the health district's executive director, CNN reported. The clinic is currently operating with expanded hours and is now open seven days a week for vaccinations.

Earlier this year, the Houston Health Department confirmed two cases of measles in Harris County residents, which were the first measles cases reported in Texas since 2023 and prompted a DSHS health alert on Jan. 23.

Health officials at the DSHS warn that additional cases are likely to occur in Gaines County and the surrounding communities. In its health alert summary, the DSHS advises clinicians to "immediately report any suspected cases to your local health department, preferably while the patient is in your presence."

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 2023 to 2024 school year saw the highest level of vaccine exemptions for kindergarteners (3.3 percent). The DSHS notes that in Gaines County, the number was much higher, at 17.62 percent (nearly one in five children).

More Information

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

U.S. Stops Funding for Gavi Global Vaccine Program, Sparking Backlash

FRIDAY, June 27, 2025 — The United States will stop sending money to Gavi, a global group that helps vaccinate children in low-income countries, U.S. Health and Human...

School Vaccination Requirements Widely Supported By Americans, Poll Says

THURSDAY, June 26, 2025 — There’s widespread support among Americans for requiring that kids be vaccinated before they can go to school, a new Harvard survey has...

CDC Now Says Americans Traveling Abroad Should Get Measles Shots First

TUESDAY, June 3, 2025 — Americans planning to travel outside the country should make sure they’re vaccinated against measles — no matter where they’re...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.