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The outbreak of measles continues in West Texas. State health officials on Tuesday updated the number of confirmed cases to 159.
So far, one fatality — an unvaccinated child — has been reported.
In an official statement, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported "an outbreak of measles in the South Plains region of Texas. At this time, 159 cases have been identified since late January. Twenty-two of the patients have been hospitalized. There has been one fatality in a school-aged child who lived in the outbreak area."
The statement added: "The child was not vaccinated and had no known underlying conditions. Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities. DSHS is working with local health departments to investigate the outbreak."
The year began with the outbreak of measles, thought to be eradicated in 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Greg Poland has studied measles most of his career. He said the severity of the virus is not stressed enough.
"We think of measles as a disease that can kill and cause disability," he said. "About one to three out of every 1,000 who get infected will end up dying. ... [O]nce you get measles, the only thing we can really offer is supportive care. There is no antiviral. There is nothing we can give that's going to reverse it, so ... make a wise decision now, before exposure."
Medical professionals like Poland have stressed the importance of getting the MMR vaccine since the outbreak began. Adults who are unsure of their vaccination status can request records from their primary care providers.
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— City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (@SAMetroHealth) February 27, 2025
But some people seek out a measles infection, including parents who intentionally expose their unvaccinated children to an infected person during what’s called a “measles party.”
Dr. Jason Bowling, chief epidemiologist with University Health and an infectious disease specialist at UT Health San Antonio, said that type of exposure is far more dangerous than just getting an MMR vaccine.
"We have decades of experience with it. It's very well tolerated," he said. "Serious side effects are extremely rare and continue to be monitored too. So that's completely different than getting exposed to a virus or a vaccine and illness where you can have who knows what course and who knows what complications.
Measles complications can include pneumonia, hearing loss, meningitis, and death.
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