The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting an outbreak of measles in the South Plains and Panhandle regions of Texas.
As of June 3, 742 cases have been identified since late January. Ninety-four of the patients have been hospitalized. This is an increase of nine since the May 30 update. One percent, or fewer than 10 of the confirmed cases, are estimated to be actively infectious since their rash onset date was more than a week ago.
Individuals are infectious four days prior to and four days after rash onset.
There have been two fatalities in a school-aged child who lived in the outbreak area. The children were not vaccinated and had no known underlying conditions. Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities. DSHS is working with local health departments to investigate the outbreak.
Based on the most recent data, DSHS has identified designated outbreak counties with ongoing measles transmission: Cochran, Dallam, Dawson, Gaines, Garza, Lynn, Lamar, Lubbock, Terry and Yoakum.
Cases by counties are as follows: Hockley County has six confirmed cases; Cochran County has 14 confirmed cases; Lamb County has one confirmed case; Lubbock County has 53 confirmed cases; Yoakum County has 20 confirmed cases; Terry County has 60 confirmed cases; Garza County has two confirmed cases; Hale County has five confirmed cases; Dallam County has seven confirmed cases; Lamar County has 21 confirmed cases; Dawson County has 27 confirmed cases; Ector County has 11 confirmed cases; Gaines County has 411 confirmed cases; Lynn County has two confirmed cases; Martin County has three confirmed cases; Andrews County has three confirmed cases; Brown County has one confirmed case; Erath County has one confirmed case; Midland County has five confirmed cases; Borden County has one confirmed case; Randall County has one confirmed case; Reeves County has one confirmed case; and El Paso has 57 confirmed
cases.
Age ranges for the reported cases are as follows:
There are 218 cases are between zero and four-years-old; There are 239 cases are between 18-years-old or higher; and four cases are pending.
Vaccination status of the confirmed cases shows 705 cases unvaccinated or unknown and nineteen vaccinated with at least two doses and eighteen are vaccinated with a least one dose.