The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting 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.
As of Aug. 18, 762 cases of measles have been confirmed in the outbreak since late January.
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 there are ongoing outbreaks of measles in North America and around the world, it is likely that there will be additional cases of measles this year in Texas.