Texas County Reports Measles Outbreak Among Unvaccinated Children

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The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is reporting an outbreak of measles in Gaines County.

All cases have been identified among unvaccinated school-aged children who are residents of Gaines County. Symptom onset began within the last two weeks.

Earlier this year, the Houston Health Department confirmed two cases of measles in Harris County residents, which were the first measles cases reported in Texas since 2023 and prompted a DSHS health alert on Jan. 23.

The DSHS announced two confirmed cases in Gaines County on Jan. 30. As of Feb. 7, there were nine confirmed and three probable cases, according to Zach Holbrooks, executive director of the South Plains Public Health District. He told KFF News that the department is investigating other potential cases among close contacts with the goal of treating people quickly and stopping the virus from spreading further.

Health officials at the DSHS warn that additional cases are likely to occur in Gaines County and the surrounding communities. In its health alert summary, the DSHS advises clinicians to “immediately report any suspected cases to your local health department, preferably while the patient is in your presence.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 2023 to 2024 school year saw the highest level of vaccine exemptions for kindergarteners (3.3 percent). The DSHS notes that in Gaines County, the number was much higher, at 17.62 percent (nearly one in five children).

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Source: HealthDay

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