Texas Measles Outbreak Includes Vaccinated Children

The state of Texas has been reporting a spike in measles cases in 2025, including some in vaccinated children.

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) initially reported two measles cases in Harris County, which includes the city of Houston, in January 2025.

Since then, DSHS has confirmed an ongoing measles outbreak in the South Plains. As of March 4, 2025, 159 cases have been identified. 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.

Another measles case was recently reported in Travis County by the Austin Health Department.

The DSHS's investigation into the vaccination status is ongoing. So far, 5 cases have been confirmed as vaccinated with one dose. In 74 cases, the vaccination status is classified as unknown.

DSHS wrote, 'A dose of MMR is given to unvaccinated people within 72 hours of their exposure to the measles to lessen the severity of the illness if they get sick from the virus.'

'We are investigating whether any of these cases received their MMR dose after (virus) exposure.'

'Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities,' added DSHS.

Last year, 285 measles cases were reported in the U.S. Minnesota (70) and Illinois (67) were the leaders in confirming measles outbreaks.

Most of the measles cases in 2024 were traced to unvaccinated international travelers.

Currently, the U.S. CDC maintains a Level 1 Travel Health Advisory that identifies 57 countries reporting measles cases.

The CDC and DSHS strongly encourage most people to get two doses of a MMR vaccine, available at clinics and pharmacies in the United States in 2025.

Measles vaccination programs began in the United States in 1963. Since then, the MMR vaccine has been found to be very safe and about 95% effective.

The U.S. FDA has approved the M-M-R®II, ProQuad®, and Priorix vaccines to prevent measles. On November 18, 2022, the CDC stated that the Priorx and M-M-R II® vaccines are considered fully interchangeable.