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Measles update: State of Texas reports 17 more cases

Floyd Price receives a MMR vaccine at the City of Lubbock Health Department in Lubbock, on Feb. 27, 2025. Price was unsure of his vaccination status and decided to get a vaccine to be cautious.
Annie Rice
/
Reuters
Floyd Price receives a MMR vaccine at the City of Lubbock Health Department in Lubbock, on Feb. 27, 2025. Price was unsure of his vaccination status and decided to get a vaccine to be cautious.

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The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) confirmed 17 more cases of measles since the last update on Friday.

The state's updates come every Tuesday and Friday.

This brings the West Texas outbreak to 663 cases since it began in late January.

Eighty-seven patients have been hospitalized because of the virus, state officials said, adding that this is "the total number of people hospitalized over the course of the outbreak. It is not the current number of people in the hospital. Today’s report includes 23 additional hospitalizations from earlier in the outbreak."

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."

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.

The individual was unvaccinated and may have exposed others to the virus at an evening gathering near Poteet on April 13.

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.

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