Public health officials have reported a growing measles outbreak in West Texas, with a new case confirmed in neighboring New Mexico, the Associated Press reports.
The Texas Department of State Health Services announced Tuesday that the number of measles cases has reached 24 in the past two weeks.
The outbreak is centered in Gaines County, Texas, where all confirmed cases involve unvaccinated residents. Nearby in Lea County, New Mexico, a teenager who was also unvaccinated tested positive for measles. The New Mexico Department of Health stated that the individual had no known connection to the Texas outbreak, and potential exposure sites include a hospital emergency room and a school gymnasium in Lovington.
So far, nine measles patients in Texas have been hospitalized.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 90% of unvaccinated individuals who are exposed to measles will become infected.
While widespread vaccination efforts have significantly reduced cases over the past 60 years, the US has seen an increase in outbreaks. In 2024, a measles outbreak in Chicago infected more than 60 people.
Gaines County, Texas, has one of the highest vaccine exemption rates in the state, which may have contributed to the outbreak. Texas law allows vaccine exemptions for school-aged children for religious and personal reasons, and the percentage of exempt students has increased from 0.76% in 2014 to 2.32% in 2023.
To help contain the outbreak, local health officials in Gaines County have set up a drive-through vaccination clinic and are offering screening services to residents. The New Mexico Department of Health is launching no-appointment vaccination clinics in Hobbs starting next week.
