Texas Measles Outbreak Hits 561 Cases as CDC Rolls Out Reinforcements
Sarah Johnson
April 18, 2025
Brief
Texas faces a growing measles outbreak with 561 cases across 23 counties, straining public health resources and raising concerns about losing measles elimination status in the U.S.
The measles outbreak in Texas continues its upward climb, now with 561 confirmed cases across 23 counties as of Tuesday, marking an increase of 20 cases since April 11. This ongoing surge has particularly struck Gaines County in West Texas, which remains the hotspot with cases rising from 355 to 364 – nearly 65% of the state's total, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
In a bid to contain the spread, the U.S. government has deployed additional help with seven personnel headed to Texas, supplementing the 15 CDC team members already there from early March through April 1. A second CDC team was also scheduled for deployment this Tuesday. Dr. David Sugerman from the CDC explained that while they are pushing resources, efforts have been complicated by recent cancellations of federal grants that fund state responses.
"We are scraping to find the resources and personnel needed to provide support to Texas and other jurisdictions," Sugerman said, highlighting the precarious balance public health officials face in managing outbreaks with limited funds.
Local public health leaders warn the outbreak could stretch on for a year. Dr. Katherine Wells of Lubbock Public Health cautioned that if measles continues to spread beyond January 20, 2026, the U.S. risks losing its measles elimination status – a distinction earned in 2000. This grim possibility underscores how swiftly vaccination gaps can undo decades of progress.
Though only about 4% of these cases, fewer than 25 individuals, are currently infectious, the total toll includes 58 hospitalizations and two tragic deaths among unvaccinated school-aged children with no underlying health issues. The majority of cases – 381 – affect children under 18, reaffirming how vulnerable young populations remain to measles outbreaks.
While most cases are linked to unvaccinated or unknown vaccination status individuals (about 550), health officials noted that seven cases occurred in fully vaccinated people and four in those with only one vaccine dose, reminding us that vaccines aren't perfect shields but still the best defense we have.
As this outbreak unfolds, the strain on local and federal public health resources is evident, and the fight to contain measles in Texas is far from over.
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Editor's Comments
It's striking how federal funding hiccups can throw a wrench into outbreak responses — proof that public health isn't just about medicine but also about politics and budgets. Whoever thought a virus could bring bureaucracy and measles together in such an ironic dance?
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