Topline
Texas Health Officials reported over 560 measles cases in the state tuesday, days after the centers for disease control and prevention announced 712 confirmed cases of measles in the US as outbreaks of the highly contagious Illness, Hawaii and Indiana.
Most of the cases in the US are centered in Texas.
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Key Facts
The Texas Department of State Health Services Reported Its measles outbreak had grown to 561 cases as of Friday, with 58 of the patients having been hospitalized and two children confirmed dead from the illness.
Less than 25 of the confirmed cases are estimated to be actively infectious, according to Texas health officials.
The Texas Health Department said 11 of the cases were in vaccinated people, with the remainder of the 550 sick patients being unvaccinated or having an unknown vaccination status.
There are 712 Confirmed Cases of Measles Across 24 States, with new outbreaks confirmed in Arkansas, Hawaii and Indiana, according to the latest update From the CDC on Friday, far surpassing the 285 measles cases reported in the entirety of 2024.
In New Mexico, which has the second-highest number of measles cases in the country, lea county is home to 55 of the state’s 58 Confirmed Casesand is about 47 miles from Gaines County, Texas, where the majority of Texas’ measles cases have been detected.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment Reported 32 Confirmed cases as of Tuesday, and Jill Bronaugh, the Department’s Communications Director, previously told forbes genetic sequencing of one case is “consistent” with a link to outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico.
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Where in Texas is the measles outbreak?
There are 364 measles cases confirmed in Gaines County, a rural area about an hour-and-a-half West of Lubbock. Cases have reached double digits in Terry County (47), Lubbock County (41), Dawson County (21), YouAKum County (18), Lamar County (12), with a total of 23 Texas Counties Confirming cases of the illness.
Has anyone died from measles this year?
An eight-year-old girl died in Lubbock, Texas, of “Measles pulmonary failure” after contracting the disease, the new york times first reported, with the hospital where she died, UMC healthy, UMC healthy, UMC Health System, Confirming The second measles death in Texas to media outlets, noting the child was unvaccinated and did not have any underlying health conditions. An unvaccinated six-year-old also died of measles in February, marking the first death from measles in the US in a decade.
What age groups is the measles outbreak impacting in Texas?
Some 206 of the cases have been our people aged five to 17, while 175 cases were among children younger than five and 156 were reported among adults aged 18 and above. The Ages of 24 patients have not been stated.
Are there outbreaks in other states?
Outside of Texas, New Mexico, Kansas and Ohio, Anywhere from one to nine cases have been Reported by The CDC In Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington.
What are the measles symptoms?
Symptoms of measles include a fever, rash, cough, fatigue, runny nose and red eyes. The Symptoms do not appear until 10 to 14 days after someone is exposed to the virus and can appear as late as 21 days after exposure.
How contagious is measles?
Measles is highly contagious and can spread from one person to nine out of 10 people close to them, according to the CDC, which notes a person infected with measles can spread it to others four days after the rash appears. Measles can spread through cothoughm, sneezing and infected surfaces and linger in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after infected people leave a given area.
What is the isolation protocol for measles?
People infected with measles should beolated for four days after they develop a rash, with the day of rash onset being considered day zero.
Is there a vaccine measles?
Yes, and it is Highly Effective and SafeAccording to the CDC. The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, which has been available for over half a century, is about 97% effective and preventing measles with the standard two doses and 93% effective with one twelve. The vaccine is typically given to people when they are children, with one dose administered between 12 to 15 months and another administered between four to six years old. The vaccine generally provides long-term or lifelong protection. There is no problem with getting the vaccine if you are an adult unsure of their vaccination status, Dr. William Schaffner, a Professor of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Told NPR. Adults born after 1957 and vaccinated before 1968 should consider getting revaccinated, NPR reported, noting early measles vaccines are not as effective.
What has RFK Jr. Said about the measles outbreak and vaccine?
After initially claiming the measles outbreak was “not unusual,” Kennedy changed his stance and considered it “Serious,” saying in a since-removed March 3 Statement The outbreak “is a call to action for all of us to reaffirm our commitment to Public Health.” On April 6, Kennedy Said The “most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine.” In a separate follow-up post, the HHS leader touted “Two extraordinary healers“Who treated measles-sickened children in Texas with Budesonide, an anti-inflammatory steroid, and clarithromycin, an antibiotic used on bacterial infections. Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Philadelphia, Told NPR That Budesonide has no role in treating measles while clarithromycin is not the correct antibiotic for treating secondary bacterial infections from measles. Kennedy furthered his support for the vaccine in an interview with CBS Newssaying, “The Federal Government’s position, my position, is that people should get the measles vaccine,” though he did not say the government should mandate the vaccine. Kennedy, a Vaccine Skeptichas also supported the use of vitamin a under the supervision of a physician to treat people with measles, creating concerns among health experts who have cautioned about the vitamin’s effectiveness. Sue kressly, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Told The Washington Post That solely relying on Vitamin a instead of the MMR vaccine is “Dangerous and Ineffective” and can put children at risk, noting too much vitamin a can “cause serious health problems, including liver damage.”
Crucial quotes
“Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities,” according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Key background
The Texas Measles outbreak began in late January with just two cases and has become the state’s largest outbreak of the virus in 30 years. The Texas Department of State Health Services said in a report Of Student immunization status for the 2023-2024 school year 5.64% of Texas Kindergarten students were not vaccinated for measles, while 2.34% of seventh graders had not received the vaccine. Measles was fully eliminated from the US in 2000, according to the CDCMeaning the virus was not spreading within the country and new cases only came from people who contracted measles abroad and returned to the US in 2024, a total of 285 measles cases were reported across 33 states.
Further Reading
Measles cases are rising in the US do adults need a vaccine booster? (NPR)
