Texas health officials announced Monday that the state’s measles outbreak, which began in late January and infected 762 people, has officially ended. The declaration comes after more than 42 days passed without a new confirmed case—meeting the public health benchmark for closing an outbreak. The last recorded case involved a person who developed a rash on July 1, according to state records.
During the outbreak, two unvaccinated children in Texas died from the virus, and 100 individuals required hospitalization. The virus spread across 37 counties and was traced to related outbreaks in Canada, Mexico, and other parts of the United States.
Nationally, measles is having its worst year in more than 30 years. As of August 5, there were 1,356 confirmed cases in the U.S., based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The third confirmed measles-related death this year was an unvaccinated adult from New Mexico who died in March.
For several months, West Texas became the center of measles activity in the U.S. The outbreak took hold in tightly connected Mennonite communities in Gaines County, where vaccination rates were low.
Despite the current outbreak being over, health officials warn that Texas is still vulnerable to future cases, especially as the disease continues to spread in other countries.
So far this year, at least 19 U.S. states have experienced measles outbreaks. In Chihuahua, Mexico—just across the Texas border—an outbreak linked to a child who had visited Gaines County has escalated to 3,854 cases and 13 deaths. Meanwhile, in Canada, Ontario has reported 2,362 cases and one death, while Alberta has recorded 1,762 infections.
Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner Jennifer Shuford noted that many doctors in the state had never seen a measles case before this outbreak, given how rare the disease had become. She credited widespread testing, vaccination efforts, active monitoring, and public education as key factors in containing the spread.
“I want to recognize the tireless efforts of public health professionals across Texas who worked to control the spread of one of the most contagious viruses known,” Shuford said in a statement.
Measles is a highly infectious illness that causes a distinctive rash and respiratory symptoms. It can lead to serious complications or even death. The illness is preventable through the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella and is typically required for young children before starting school.
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