Texas Health Officials Declare End of West Texas Measles Outbreak

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported the end of this year’s measles outbreak centered in West Texas. It has been more than 42 days since a new case was reported in any of the counties that previously showed evidence of ongoing transmission. DSHS will continue to monitor for new cases.

As of Aug. 18, 762 cases of measles have been confirmed in the outbreak since late January. More than two-thirds of the cases were in children. Ninety-nine people were hospitalized during the outbreak, and two fatalities occurred in school-aged children.

“I want to highlight the tireless work of the public health professionals across the state who contributed to the containment of one of the most contagious viruses,” said DSHS Commissioner Jennifer A. Shuford, MD, MPH. “We arrived at this point through a comprehensive outbreak response that included testing, vaccination, disease monitoring and educating the public about measles through awareness campaigns. I also want to recognize the many healthcare professionals who identified and treated cases of a virus that most providers had never seen in person before this outbreak.”

Public health professionals consider a measles outbreak over after 42 days with no new cases because that is double the disease’s maximum incubation period, the longest time it can take between when a person is exposed to the virus and when they get sick.

The end of this outbreak does not mean the threat of measles is over. Since outbreaks of measles are ongoing in North America and globally, it is likely additional cases of measles will occur this year in Texas, health officials said.

As of Aug. 6, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 1,356 measles cases in 2025 in 40 states. This year, 32 outbreaks have been reported, and 87% of confirmed cases are outbreak-associated.