GHealth News – The measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico has surged to 294 cases as of Friday, exceeding the total number of infections reported in the U.S. for all of 2024. The outbreak, which began in late January in West Texas, continues to spread.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 285 measles cases nationwide in 2024. Over the past three days, Texas and New Mexico have reported an additional 38 infections, based on data from state health departments.
Gaines County, Texas, remains the outbreak’s focal point, with cases rising from 156 on March 11 to 174. So far, 34 patients in Texas have required hospitalization. In New Mexico, infections increased from 33 to 35, with two cases reported in Eddy County and the remainder in Lea County, which borders Gaines County.
Oklahoma health officials reported two “probable” cases on Tuesday, involving individuals exposed to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks who later developed measles-like symptoms.
Daniel Nichols, a virologist at Seton Hall University, noted that it is uncertain whether the outbreak is expanding beyond these states but warned that the ongoing rise in cases remains a serious concern.
In February, an unvaccinated child with no underlying health conditions died of measles in Texas, marking the first U.S. measles-related death since 2015. Another fatality involving an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico is still under investigation.
The worsening outbreak poses an early test for U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal vaccine skeptic who has stressed parental rights in vaccination decisions.