State reports from West Texas measles outbreaks now at 124

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State medical experts have confirmed 124 cases of measles in Texas. This has been the greatest measles outbreak in Texas for 30 years.

So it started and an overview of the situation from February 25th.

A new year begins with a health warning

The outbreak was created in January in Gaines County, a small West Texas County, in the West Texas district. On January 23, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a health war. Two children of school age were tested positively and were admitted to the hospital and released at the time the alert will be published.

According to HHS, the first confirmed cases of measles in 2025 were found in Harris County. These two people lived in the same household and had traveled internationally in the past few days. They were not vaccinated either.

These cases were not associated with the outbreak, but they were the first cases in Texas since 2023.

By the end of January and the first week of February, 10 cases were confirmed in Gaines County and a warning of a breakout was issued. All were cases of non -vaccinated people, including many children in school age.

Cases spread in the counties and health officers are attentive

Further cases in and around Gaines County have been confirmed in the next few weeks.

50 cases were confirmed by Valentine’s Day and 90 cases in the next week.

HHS publishes updated number of cases every Tuesday and Friday.

Further exposure

A warning about exposure in central texas was issued after a person who visited San Marcos, New Braunfels and San Antonio had tested positively for the virus.

The person who tested the positive tourist destinations and highly populated areas of the cities, including the University of Texas in San Antonio, the BUC EE business in New Braunfels, Texas State University and the San Antonio’s River Walk.

On Tuesday, February 25th, HHS published this explanation: “The Texas Ministry of Health reports a measles outbreak in the South Plains region in Texas. At that time 124 cases have been identified. Eighteen from eighteen The patients were hospitalized. Outbreak area and the surrounding communities.

Anita Kurian, deputy director of the Metropolitan Health District of San Antonio, said that the first thing affected should do was to check her vaccination status.

“If you believe that you were potentially exposed to your vaccination status, you start to monitor yourself about the symptoms,” said Kurian. “You should monitor this at least 21 days after your date of the last exposure … It is very important – do not appear to be registered in your doctor’s office or another health facility, as you will use medical staff and other patients.”

Who should be vaccinated?

Those who are not sure about their vaccination status can contact the Texas Department of State Health Services or call Metro Health and request recordings.

Measles are vaccinated with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). The American Academy of Pediatrics explained that about 95 out of 100 people are protected with a dose and 97-99 of 100 are protected with two doses.

The first dose is administered for 12 to 15 months, and the second dose comes later as soon as the child reaches school age.

Older adults who were born after 1957 and were vaccinated before 1968 should consider revision. During this period, an inactive or killed virus was administered and proved to be ineffective.

The centers for the control and prevention of diseases (CDC) recommend at least one dose for adults who may have received the inactive virus.

Risks for pregnant women?

Pregnant women cannot get the vaccine because it is a living virus and can cause poor birth results, explained Kurian.

The CDC advised women to get pregnant to become pregnant to check whether they are vaccinated beforehand or the vaccine will be given before.

The CDC explained that the virus could lead to serious birth errors during pregnancy.

Risks for disabled people and immunocompromised people?

Dr. Jason Bowling, a specialist for infectious diseases at UT Health San Antonio, advised the exposed housekeepers to be aware of when they are the only people who take care of an immunodized person.

“You should avoid dividing utensils, sharing a drinking glass” a more transferable risk after the period of the period. ”

Bowling added that immunodliched people are one of the highest risks to catch measles and other serious illnesses.

Breaks in the past

Bowling added that the disease was eradicated in 2001, but some outbreaks have occurred since then.

“(Outbreaks) tends to appear in areas in which there are high density of people who are not vaccinated. In areas where there are more vaccinated people, we tend to see no persistent outbreaks,” he said. “So we still have a high vaccination rate recording rate in Bexar County.”

What are the signs and symptoms?

For those affected that their child may have merged with measles, they can search for these symptoms:

• Cough
• Running nose
• Tiny white spots that can occur in the mouth about two to three days after the symptoms are used.
• Red aqueous eyes
• Fever of 103 degrees or higher

First, a rash forms on the face and head and then moves into the other areas of the body. The rash can take about five to six days and appears after the fever is used.

The symptoms are usually set in about eight to 12 days after exposure. An infected person is contagious up to four days before the rash appears and four days after the rash appears, the American Academy of Pediatrics said.

The virus can also be more serious complications such as pneumonia, swelling of the brain, numbness and sometimes fatal.

Metro’s health officers stated that they will offer pop -up vaccination locations if necessary, a service that is offered before the outbreak. They also started.

Jackie Velez contributed to this report.