Bioscience-Medicine

Measles update: Texas reports West Texas outbreak has seen 327 cases since January

Texas Public Radio | By Gabriella Alcorta-Solorio

Published March 25, 2025 at 11:50 AM CDT

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The state health department confirmed on Tuesday that 327 cases of measles were now associated with the West Texas outbreak since January.

Forty of the patients have been hospitalized.

It’s time to get real about vaccines and get the facts. Vaccines are safe and can help protect your child from serious illness or even death.
For more vaccine information, visit your healthcare provider or https://t.co/NHqmf5k3Nl. pic.twitter.com/p0F5jGUiTH
— City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (@SAMetroHealth) March 21, 2025

The department also reported 140 of the cases are in kids ages five to 17.

The majority of the cases are in unvaccinated people, with only two cases having records of receiving two doses.

Feb 11 2025, Texas Rep Little and other lawmakers applaud Texans For Vaccine Choice in the Chamber of the Texas House of Representatives

Public Health

Vaccinations are injected with politics as measles spreads in West Texas

David Martin Davies

The politics of ending vaccine requirements in Texas is in conflict with the reality of a raging measles outbreak in West Texas. Texans for Vaccine Choice, a powerful political action committee, has been leading the fight to weaken vaccination requirements.

At least two people have died — an unvaccinated person in New Mexico and an unvaccinated child in Lubbock. The death in New Mexico was in Lea County. The county borders Gaines County, where the outbreak is centered.

Measles complications can include pneumonia, hearing loss, meningitis, and death.

The state's updates come every Tuesday and Friday.

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