Measles outbreak in West Texas declared over

The measles outbreak that infected hundreds in West Texas has been declared over after more than six weeks with no new cases, health officials said. The Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed 762 cases since late January, about 100 hospitalizations, and two deaths, both among unvaccinated children. Officials stressed that the end of this outbreak does not mark the end of measles in the region or the country, noting that transmission remains possible through travel and outbreaks elsewhere.

Public health officials traced the outbreak primarily to Gaines County, where a large share of cases occurred in closely connected, undervaccinated communities. The spread later extended to other Texas counties and linked outbreaks in Canada and Mexico, with Chihuahua reporting thousands of cases and dozens of deaths. Across the United States, measles cases climbed to more than a thousand in 2025, the largest total in decades, as vaccination rates for two doses declined from recent highs and exemptions to school vaccination requirements rose in several states. Health authorities emphasize that measles is among the most contagious diseases, with vaccination providing strong...