Measles outbreak in West Texas continues to grow

At least 58 cases of measles were reported as of Wednesday morning in five counties in the South Plains region of western Texas, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Gaines County recorded 45 of the cases and at least 13 people had been hospitalized across the region. While nearly all of the patients were either unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status, four patients said they were vaccinated against measles. Nearly all of the cases are among children aged 0-17, with at least six adults infected and four pending classification. State, regional, and county health officials are working together to investigate the outbreak.

State authorities initially warned the public last month about two cases in Harris County. Meanwhile, authorities in a neighboring county in New Mexico late last week reported at least three measles cases. The patients, all residents of Lea County, are unrelated and officials suspect the cases are related to the outbreak in Texas. Clinics in western Texas and eastern New Mexico are offering measles testing and vaccinations. Officials expect cases to continue to rise.

What is measles? The viral infection is one of the most highly contagious diseases in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Spread primarily through bodily fluids from an infected person coughing or sneezing, the virus can remain contagious in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours. Symptoms may appear 10 to 14 days after contact and can include a high fever, cough, runny nose, white spots inside the mouth, and a red rash that spreads downward from the face to the rest of the body.

While the majority of people who contract the disease will recover, potential complications like encephalitis, pneumonia, and dehydration can be deadly, according to The University of Chicago Medical School. About one of every five unvaccinated people who contract the disease in the United States is hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is no one specific treatment for measles but doctors recommend medication to manage fevers, plenty of fluids, and Vitamin A for young children, according to the Mayo Clinic.

What is the measles vaccine? Biochemist John Enders in the 1950s began working with doctors to isolate the measles virus to create a vaccine. In 1963, he and his colleagues licensed the first vaccine before introducing an improved version in 1968. His vaccine has been the only measles vaccine used in the United States since 1968 and has been highly effective at decreasing the number of serious infections reported in the country, according to the CDC. The measles vaccine is often combined into one shot with the mumps and rubella vaccines and is typically given to children around their first birthday and around the time they start kindergarten, between the ages of 4 and 6.

Measles vaccination among U.S. kindergarteners declined from 95.2% during the 2019-2020 school year to 92.7% during the 2023-2024 school year, according to the CDC. In Texas, the vaccination rate dropped by about 3% in the last decade. Loop Independent School District, one of three districts that serves Gaines County, during the 2023-2024 school year reported that just 46.15% of kindergarten students had received the MMR vaccine. Texas allows parents and guardians to receive immunization exemptions for their children if a medical provider determines it is unsafe for the individual, if they are in the military, or if they have a religious or personal belief against vaccines.

What has contributed to declining vaccination rates? A rise in vaccine exemptions, disruptions to children’s vaccine schedules during the COVID-19 pandemic, inconsistent access to medical care, and financial barriers have played a role in the national trend, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In recent years, parents have grown more concerned about the safety of childhood vaccines amid claims that the shots could cause adverse reactions or long-term health issues. United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long questioned whether vaccines were subject to adequate research before they were recommended to children. Kennedy founded the Children’s Health Defense to end childhood health epidemics, according to the organization’s website. The group has called for a more rigorous approval process for vaccines, mandatory reporting of adverse effects, and removing conflicts of interest from federal vaccine recommendations. Kennedy on Tuesday addressed HHS staff for the first time since taking office and vowed to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule, and numerous other issues.

Dig deeper: Read Emma Freire’s report on conflicting expert opinions on COVID-19 vaccines.