Texas health officials have declared an end to a measles outbreak that killed two school-aged children.
The Texas Department of State Health Services said it has been more than 40 days since a new case was reported in any of the counties that previously showed evidence of transmission.
An outbreak is declared over after 42 days with no new cases, which officials said is “double the disease’s maximum incubation period,” or the longest time it can take between exposure and illness.
The outbreak, which began in late January, sickened 762 people. Nearly 100 were hospitalized, many of them 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.”
Health officials cautioned that while the outbreak is over, the threat of measles remains because cases continue to be reported across the United States.
RELATED STORY | Measles cases skyrocket in US, reaching 33-year high amid vaccination concerns
The U.S. has reported more than 1,300 measles cases in 2025, in nearly every state — a 33-year high.
Children are routinely vaccinated for measles at 12 to 15 months of age and again at 4 to 6 years old, before starting kindergarten. Infants as young as 6 months can receive the vaccine if they are at risk.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, measles can cause:
- Pneumonia
- Brain damage
- Blindness
- Deafness
- Diarrhea
- Premature birth or low birth weight in babies born to unvaccinated mothers who contract measles during pregnancy
Measles infection can also weaken the immune system, leaving people vulnerable to other deadly diseases.
