Measles Outbreak – March 18, 2025

The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting an outbreak of measles in the South Plains and Panhandle regions of Texas. At this time, 279 cases have been identified since late January. Thirty-six of the patients have been hospitalized. 

There has been one fatality in a school-aged child who lived in the outbreak area. 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.

We will post updates on Tuesdays and Fridays.

• Note: The unvaccinated/unknown category includes people with no documented doses of measles vaccine more than 14 days before symptom onset.

After additional investigation into the details of individual measles cases, DSHS has determined that three cases previously classified as vaccinated were not vaccinated cases. Two of those cases got their vaccine doses one to two days before their symptoms started, after they had been exposed to the virus. It takes the body about 14 days after vaccination to develop immunity to measles, so people aren’t considered vaccinated until that 14-day period has passed.

DSHS has determined that the third case was a Lubbock County resident who had a vaccine reaction rather than a measles infection based on the results of MeVA testing, which detected the vaccine strain. This case has been removed from the case count entirely. The measles vaccine can occasionally cause a reaction with a rash and fever that mimic measles, but it is not a measles infection and cannot spread to other people.

Measles Prevention

The best way to prevent getting sick is to be immunized with two doses of a vaccine against measles, which is primarily administered as the combination measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are highly effective at preventing measles.

To get vaccinated, people can go to their health care provider or a pharmacy. Vaccines are also available through the Texas Vaccines for Children and Adult Safety Net Providers. Use the maps located on the measles outbreak page to locate a TVFC or ASN provider. Pharmacies can vaccinate people 14 and older without a prescription. Children under 14 need a prescription to get the MMR vaccine at a pharmacy.

Additional information for the public and health care providers is available at the links below:

Measles Outbreak page

Measles FAQ page

DSHS News Release – Jan. 30 Announcing Cases in Gaines County

DSHS News Release – Feb. 25 Outbreak Update

DSHS News Release – Feb. 26 Announcing First Fatality in Outbreak

DSHS Health Alert – Feb. 5 Gaines County Outbreak

DSHS Health Alert – Feb. 24 Measles Exposures in South & Central Texas

DSHS Health Alert – March 6 Measles Outbreak Case Definition

You can find data on vaccination coverage levels in schools here:

School Coverage

Conscientious Exemptions

* One of these cases had symptom onset in 2024

• Most of these cases are associated with international travel to a country where measles regularly spreads.
• The source of exposure for the Lamar County cases is under investigation.