Texas reports new measles outburst in Western Texas – Texas Tribune

Sign up for the short, daily Texas Tribune newsletter, which supports readers to accelerate the most significant news in Texas.

At least 10 cases of measles-eight of whom are among the children of school-age-reported in Gaines County in Western Texas in the last two weeks, moving concerns about the escalating fire.

Of the cases, seven have been hospitalized so far, according to a signal of health and human services in Texas. They were all unvaccinated and residents of Gaines County, which has a population of about 22,000 and borders on New Mexico.

“Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the Gaines County and the surrounding communities,” the signal says.

The new cases come more than a week after health staff in Texas report two cases of measles outside Gaines, both include non -school -age children in school age. Both children were hospitalized in Lubbock and later written. Earlier this week, government health officials said the number of cases increased to six. Since then, cases have been increasing further.

Western Texas is not alone in new cases of measles. In January, new cases of measles were reported in Harris County, which caused a health alert from the state and marked the first time the Texas were confirmed to have had the disease since 2023. The two cases of Harris district included non -vacinated elderly residents.

Measles is a highly contagious disease in the air. Symptoms may include fever, coughing, flowing nose and rash that starts on the face, but then extends to the rest of the body. The consequences of health from getting measles can be serious and sometimes lead to death.

Last year, 40% of all 245 across the country that infected measles were hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than half of the hospitalized measles last year were below the age of five.

In recent years, the spread of the disease has accelerated. According to CDC, by March 2024, there have been more reports of measles this year than in all of 2023. The rise comes more than two decades after measles is considered eliminated by health agencies in 2000, which means, which means that there was no constant spread of the spread of health agencies in 2000 disease for 12 months.

The new cases in the whole country and in Texas come because the degree of vaccination against measles among kindergartens has dropped after the Covid-19 pandemic. The vaccination rate is 97% in the 2019-20 academic year and decreased to 94.3% for 2023-24. At about the same time, the number of requests for release from a Texas vaccine had doubled from 45,900 in 2018 to 93,000 in 2024.

State legislators have filed more than 20 bills so far this legislative session aimed at weakening the mandates for vaccination. One proposal would even amend the Texas Constitution to maintain the Texas right to refuse vaccination.

Texas health officials constantly say that vaccination is to avoid people the best way to avoid measles and other preventive diseases. The vaccination process involves two separate doses.

“Children, too young, to be vaccinated, are more likely to have severe complications if they are infected with the measles virus,” Texas health officials wrote in a January 30 message. “However, every dose of MMR lowers the risk of infection and the severity of the disease, if infected.”

Experts recommend that children receive the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella in two doses: the first between 12 months and 15 months of age, and the second between 4 and 6 years. One dose is about 93% effective in preventing measles infection, and two doses are about 97% effective.