1 week Ago By Satata Karmakar
Deadly measles outbreak spreads across the U.S. is Texas the epicenter? With 500+ cases and 2 deaths, are we facing a public health crisis we weren't ready for? US Measles Outbreak: The United States is grappling with its most deadly measles outbreak in more than two decades.
According to the latest records by the CDC, Texas has emerged as the worst-hit US state and is currently the epicenter of the health crisis. As of early April 2025, more than 500 confirmed cases of measles have been reported in Texas alone, along with two deaths (2 infants died due to measles - both were unvaccinated). "We are dealing with the consequences of years of declining vaccination coverage," said Dr.
Anika Shah, Chief Medical Officer at Texas Children's Hospital. "This isn't just a Texas issue it's a warning to the entire country." Taking cognizance of the situation, public health officials have sounded an alarm about the outbreak and warned everyone to get vaccinated as the virus is rapidly spreading its tentacles across multiple states.
This sudden surge in measles cases has led to fears of a national resurgence of a disease once declared eliminated in the U.S. over two decades ago.
What Is Measles: Deadly Virus Spreading Rapidly Across US Measles is one of the most contagious and notorious viruses in the world which has the potential to trigger a pandemic-like situation globally if proper measures are not taken on time. The viral infection is caused by the measles virus, also known as the rubeola virus. After entering the body, the virus directly affects the respiratory system.
However, to date, the virus was known to be only infecting children. Recent data has shown that with time, the virus has mutated to become more powerful and infect people of any age, especially those who are unvaccinated. var firstScrolled3 = false; window.
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push({ mode: "thumbnails-m", container: "taboola-mid-article-thumbnails", placement: "Mid Article Thumbnails", target_type: "mix" }); firstScrolled3 = true; } }); How does it transmit - The virus spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or even breathes near others. Measles Return: Why Is It A Cause of Worry? The measles virus is one of the most contagious ones in the world, and its return in such alarming numbers has reignited the debate around vaccine hesitancy and public health infrastructure. According to the reports, both the deaths in Texas mark one common factor - both of them were unvaccinated.
This has further intensified concerns about how quickly the virus is spreading, particularly among unvaccinated populations. "This is a public health emergency, especially given how preventable this disease is," said Dr. Carla Mendoza, an infectious disease expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"We are seeing clusters of outbreaks in areas where vaccination rates have fallen significantly below the recommended threshold." What Is The Current Status of The Outbreak In US? A day care facility in a Texas county that's part of the measles outbreak has multiple cases, including children too young to be fully vaccinated, public health officials say. West Texas is in the middle of a still-growing measles outbreak with 505 cases reported on Tuesday.
The state expanded the number of counties in the outbreak area this week to 10. The highly contagious virus began to spread in late January and health officials say it has spread to New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Mexico. Three people who were unvaccinated have died from measles-related illnesses this year, including two elementary school-aged children in Texas.
The second child died Thursday at a Lubbock hospital, and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attended the funeral in Seminole, the epicenter of the outbreak.
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) confirmed that several school districts across the state are temporarily closing or switching to remote learning in an attempt to contain the spread. Hospitals in Houston, Dallas, and Austin are also reporting an influx of pediatric patients presenting with classic measles symptoms fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and the characteristic red rash. Measles Vaccination: The Only Defense Against The Deadly Virus The CDC recommends that children receive two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine first at 12 15 months, and again at 4 6 years.
The vaccine is 97% effective in preventing measles. However, in Texas, some school districts report MMR vaccination rates as low as 78%, far below the 95% threshold required for herd immunity. According to state data, over 30,000 children across Texas are currently unvaccinated due to personal or religious exemptions.
In response to the outbreak, Texas Governor Maria Thompson issued an executive order urging schools to verify vaccination records and recommending temporary suspension of non-medical exemptions in high-risk areas. Mobile vaccination units have also been deployed in rural and underserved communities. Follow TheHealthSite.
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