Measles update: State officials report 27 more cases in West Texas

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The Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed 27 more cases of measles since the update last Friday.

This brings the West Texas outbreak to more than 600 cases since the outbreak began in late January.

Sixty-four patients have been hospitalized because of the virus.

The state does not track how many are active hospitalizations.

Two school-age children have died from complications from the virus. Both lived in West Texas and were unvaccinated.

Despite claims by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the outbreak is not slowing down.

Public Health

The cost of the measles outbreak in Texas

David Martin Davies

With cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Texas and other states will have to spend more on public health. The biggest expense of a measles outbreak is the public health response in shutting down the outbreak.

Listen • 3:44

The state's updates come every Tuesday and Friday.

Health care professionals said the only way to prevent measles is to receive two doses of the MMR vaccine. Measles complications can include pneumonia, hearing loss, meningitis, and death.

David Martin Davies contributed to this report.

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