The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is currently reporting a measles outbreak in the South Plains region of Texas. Since late January, 90 cases have been identified, including 20 from Terry County, also of the 90 cases, 16 patients requiring hospitalization. Out of these cases, five individuals were vaccinated, while the vaccination status of the others is either unvaccinated or unknown. Given the highly contagious nature of measles, it is likely that additional cases will emerge in the outbreak area and nearby communities. The Department of State Health Services is collaborating with local health departments to investigate the outbreak.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, this current outbreak is the largest in over 30 years. The last significant outbreak occurred in 1992, resulting in 990 cases. Since then, there have been smaller outbreaks, including 27 cases in 2013 and 23 cases in 2019.
Lara Anton, a spokesperson for DSHS, stated that officials are still investigating the initial source of exposure. The outbreak has particularly impacted the large Mennonite community in Gaines County. While the Mennonite Church does not prohibit vaccinations, Anton noted that these communities tend to have lower vaccination rates, which significantly increases the risk of infection.
Statistics show that vaccination rates among children in Texas have declined. In 2019, almost 97% of Texas kindergarteners were vaccinated against measles, compared to only 94.3% in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In a recent interview with KCBD News Channel 11, Lubbock Public Health Director Katherine Wells expressed concern, stating, “We should not be talking about a measles outbreak in 2025.” She further explained, “If there’s a case of measles and a roomful of 10 unvaccinated individuals, nine of them will contract measles.”
Wells also highlighted the significance of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine, which has been available for 50 years and helped reduce measles cases to zero in the U.S. around the year 2000. She remarked, “People haven’t seen measles in so long that they can become complacent and think, ‘Well, I don’t really need the vaccine. It’s not around, so I don’t need to get it.’”
The best way to prevent getting sick is to be immunized with two doses of a vaccine against measles, which is primarily administered as the combination measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are highly effective at preventing measles.
Texas Case Count by County
| County | Cases |
|---|---|
| Dawson | 6 |
| Ector | 1 |
| Gaines | 57 |
| Lubbock | 1 |
| Lynn | 1 |
| Terry | 20 |
| Yoakum | 4 |
| Total | 90 |
Age Ranges of Measles Cases
| 0-4 years | 5-17 years | 18+ years | Pending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | 51 | 10 | 3 |
Map of Texas Counties with Confirmed Cases
