Measles Outbreak Reported In Rural West Texas County

Just a couple of weeks ago, we mentioned that a potential measles outbreak could be happening in Texas. At that time, there had been two confirmed cases that had popped up in Houston.

While it's not quite an outbreak as of yet, it does appear to be picking up some steam.

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Who Says There Is An Outbreak

According to Dr. Rubin, MD on TikTok, a measles outbreak has begun in West Texas with some reported cases. Now, take it for what it's worth considering it's TikTok, but it is definitely something worth looking into.

According to Rubin, Gaines County, a rural county in West Texas had two confirmed cases of the measles in January, so there wasn't much of a cause for concern there but there were eyes on it. Those cases were unvaccinated people and they believe they contracted it from international travelers.

How Many Cases Have Been Reported

However, that has now spread to 14 confirmed cases as of February 9, 2025. There are also six more suspected cases of it and two children have been hospitalized due to measles complications.

The best way to combat measles is to be vaccinated, but sometimes that isn't enough. If you are immune-compromised, you can still very easily catch measles. It's a highly contagious disease that can hang around an area for 2+ hours if someone with it were to as much as cough.

How Can I Avoid Getting Measles

Now, Gaines County has one of the lowest vaccination rates among kindergartners, so that is also something that has been coming into play there, but vaccinations for measles has dipped dramatically over the last five years or so.

Measles can also lead to pneumonia among other illnesses, further complicating the symptoms of measles. As your body is trying to fight off the measles, catching something like pneumonia can end up becoming fatal as your body can't handle trying to fight off both.

The rise in cases is starting to become a little concerning, and with it moving closer to Amarillo, it would be wise to make sure your kids are up to date on their vaccinations for MMR.