Texas Measles Outbreak Grows, Vaccinations Increase Slowly \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Measles cases continue rising across West Texas and New Mexico, with over 350 confirmed infections and two deaths. Public health officials expect the outbreak to last several more months, especially in undervaccinated communities. Despite slow progress, vaccination rates have increased in both states, though not yet to protective levels.
West Texas Measles Outbreak Grows, Vaccinations Increase Slowly Quick Looks
- Texas reports 309 measles cases, New Mexico confirms 42 infections.
- Two measles-related deaths reported across Texas and New Mexico.
- Outbreak has spread to 14 Texas counties and two in New Mexico.
- Undervaccinated Mennonite communities identified as outbreak epicenters.
- Measles highly contagious, spreads before visible symptoms and lingers in air.
- Texas public health officials expect outbreak to last up to a year.
- CDC’s 95% vaccination target remains unmet in key areas.
- Gaines County’s child vaccination rate is only 82%, far below safe thresholds.
- Pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens report rising demand for MMR shots.
- Texas has administered over 173,000 measles vaccine doses in 2024 so far.
- New Mexico also reports a significant spike in vaccinations compared to 2023.
- Concerns grow that prolonged outbreaks could jeopardize U.S. measles elimination status.
- Misinformation on vaccines from political leaders complicates public health messaging.
- Federal response criticized as inadequate in stemming outbreak escalation.
Deep Look
The measles outbreak that began in early 2024 in West Texas continues to spread, with no signs of slowing down, as public health officials brace for what could be a prolonged public health crisis. Two months into the outbreak, Texas has reported 309 confirmed cases, while neighboring New Mexico has reported 42 cases. Each state has recorded one measles-related death.
Officials from the Texas Department of State Health Services and the New Mexico Department of Health expect the outbreak to persist for several more months, with Katherine Wells, director of Lubbock’s public health department, suggesting the outbreak could last as long as a year. This projection is based on studies of similar outbreaks in Amish communities, which typically lasted between six to seven months.
The outbreak, which spans 14 Texas counties and two in New Mexico, has also resulted in four probable cases in Oklahoma. These infections are largely linked to under-immunized Mennonite communities, where vaccination rates fall far below the 95% threshold needed to prevent community transmission. In Gaines County, one of the epicenters of the outbreak, the childhood vaccination rate stands at just 82%.
Compounding the difficulty of containment is the nature of measles itself. As one of the world’s most contagious diseases, measles can spread unknowingly for days before symptoms like the signature rash appear. The virus can also remain airborne for up to two hours after an infected person leaves a space, making public health containment efforts extremely challenging.
Epidemiologist Justin Lessler of the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health warns that outbreaks can have multiple waves. “Within this community, it’s reasonable to expect another couple of months before things die out,” he said. “But if it spreads to another under-vaccinated community, that timeline resets.”
A looming concern is the potential loss of the United States’ measles elimination status. According to Dr. William Moss of Johns Hopkins University, if the outbreak continues into January 2025, it would mark 12 months of local transmission, enough to officially end that status. “I’d be surprised if this went on for 12 months if we had strong messaging and vaccination campaigns,” Moss said. “But we’re not seeing that type of response, particularly from the federal government.”
Federal response efforts are further complicated by misinformation. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently cast doubt on the safety of MMR vaccines during an interview on Fox News, falsely claiming they cause deaths each year. Though he later stated that vaccinations should still be encouraged, his comments have fueled vaccine hesitancy during a critical public health emergency.
Despite these challenges, there are signs of hope. Both Texas and New Mexico have seen notable increases in vaccination rates since the outbreak began. New Mexico has administered over 11,600 measles vaccinations between February 1 and March 18, nearly doubling last year’s figures for the same period. In the outbreak’s hotspot of southeast New Mexico, more than 2,300 doses have been given.
Texas has also seen an uptick in vaccinations, with over 173,000 measles doses administered from January 1 to March 16, up from 158,000 during the same period last year. However, due to the state’s opt-in immunization registry, these numbers may not reflect the full picture, according to state health department spokesperson Lara Anton.
National pharmacy chains like Walgreens and CVS are also experiencing heightened demand for MMR shots, especially in outbreak-affected areas. But uptake remains slow in critical regions like Gaines County. Local pharmacist Prasad Ganji in Seminole, Gaines County’s largest town, shared that even after ordering extra MMR doses, demand remains sluggish. “The uptake for vaccines has definitely been a struggle,” said Wells.
The situation underscores the urgent need for robust public health messaging and on-the-ground outreach to increase vaccination rates, particularly in insular communities where skepticism runs deep. Experts emphasize that while the outbreak is still manageable, sustained inaction and vaccine misinformation could fuel longer and deadlier outbreaks, potentially reversing decades of progress in measles elimination.
As the outbreak continues, public health officials are calling for intensified vaccination campaigns, stronger federal support, and targeted outreach in vulnerable communities. The next several months will be critical in determining whether the outbreak can be contained or if it will become a long-term public health crisis.
Texas Measles Outbreak Grows
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