A recent outbreak of measles has struck West Texas, with 124 cases primarily in children and teens. Texas health officials say that within the infected, people are either unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status. One child, a school-age girl, has died since the outbreak, the first U.S. measles death since 2015. The cases were limited to a small Mennonite community within a highly rural area where children are primarily homeschooled or attend small private schools. The state is attempting to work with local health officials to boost vaccination and screening efforts while also educating school officials on identifying measles symptoms.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours, and with exposure, up to nine out of 10 people will contract the illness. Before the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963, the U.S. had about 3 to 4 million cases per year, and now it has significantly decreased to less than 200 per normal year. In 2000, the U.S. declared that measles had been eliminated, but with the steady decrease in vaccination rates, the deadly disease has made a comeback.
While the outbreak is in a sparsely populated region of Texas, near the New Mexico border, infection has spread rapidly across neighboring counties, affecting both urban and rural communities. Ector County, another region in West Texas, has also seen a rise in cases, with health officials noting an alarming increase in hospitalizations. Gaines County, a small region within West Texas, has one of the highest vaccine exemptions in the state. While the choice to vaccinate remains up to the discretion of the parents, public health experts are reminding the public that the severity of this sickness should not be taken lightly.
With the new appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, there is confusion regarding the federal government’s standing on these outbreaks. Federal officials have not yet made a definitive statement addressing the outbreak.
Within the current outbreak, 18 people have been hospitalized so far, and the choice to refrain from vaccination will only increase these numbers. Despite a growing push for vaccination, some areas continue to resist public health mandates, citing personal freedoms and concerns about vaccine safety. However, these exemptions pose a significant risk to public health. Measles, once considered eradicated in the U.S., has made a troubling resurgence in recent years, primarily due to lower vaccination rates in certain communities. Public health experts emphasize that herd immunity—where a significant portion of the population is vaccinated—is crucial to preventing outbreaks and protecting vulnerable individuals, such as infants and those with weakened immune systems. With more cases showing up every day, Texas and New Mexico officials have begun setting up mobile vaccination and testing sites and are using their history within the community to encourage more vaccinations.
By Anisha Parmar