Measles Outbreak Near Lubbock Increases

After several months of being measles-free, Texas has reported eight measles cases in 2025.

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) recently reported that the measles outbreak in Gaines County, Texas, has expanded to six cases.

DHSH announced on February 5, 2025, that these measles cases are unvaccinated school-aged children in the South Plains Public Health District (SPPHD) who live in Gaines County, a rural area about 90 miles southwest of Lubbock, TX.

These new measles cases are unrelated to the alert issued by the Houston Health Department in January 2025. That alert confirmed two measles cases associated with international travel in unvaccinated Harris County residents.

Those were the first measles cases reported in Texas since 2023 and the first case reported by the SPPHD in about 20 years.

As of February 7, 2025, the U.S. CDC maintains a Global Measles Advisory that identified 59 countries reporting measles cases.

The CDC, DSHS, and Houston Health all recommend that international travelers be fully protected against the highly contagious measles virus. In 2025, the MMR vaccine will be generally offered at travel clinics and pharmacies.

Update: There are nine measles cases reported in Texas in 2025.