The measles outbreak in West Texas has grown to 198 people, state health authorities confirmed. New Mexico, which borders Western Texas, has reached 30 cases, tripling the number of cases confirmed in the previous update. The outbreak, which began in late January, has expanded rapidly due to low vaccination rates in the effected counties. The vast majority of infections are people under 18 years old, individuals who are not vaccinated against the virus, or those who are unsure of their vaccination status. A child in Texas died last week after losing their battle with measles. The child’s death was the country’s first fatality from measles in 10 years.
In 2025, measles cases have been confirmed in many other states: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Rhode Island and Washington. However, Texas and New Mexico account for most of the US’s cases this year.
Measles’s resurgence in the US has put the country at risk of losing its measles elimination status, a public health achievement earned in 2000. Measles elimination status means that at a country has confirmed no sustained spread of the virus for at least 12 months. North and South America achieved this milestone in 2016, meaning that no country in The Americas region has sustained measles infections circulating within their borders for at least a year. North and South America have recorded a 450% increase in cases compared to the same point last year. The US and Canada are responsible for over 97% of these cases.
