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The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) confirmed 17 more cases of measles since the last update on Friday.
Eleven of the 17 new measles cases since Friday were in El Paso, which is a 45% increase in diagnosed measles cases in that city in just a few days.
That brings the total number of cases in the West Texas outbreak since late January to 663. The DSHS has also added 23 to the total number of people who've been hospitalized with measles over the course of the outbreak. A total of 87 people have been hospitalized with measles in West Texas so far this year.
The information from the state also included that "DSHS has identified designated outbreak counties with ongoing measles transmission: Cochran, Dallam, Dawson, Gaines, Garza, Lynn, Lamar, Lubbock, Terry and Yoakum."
The state's updates come every Tuesday and Friday.
In mid-April, a case of measles was reported in Atascosa County, just south of San Antonio. The individual was unvaccinated and may have exposed others to the virus at an evening gathering near Poteet on April 13. State officials believe the case was unrelated to the West Texas outbreak.
Two school-age children have died from complications from the virus since the outbreak began. 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.
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.
