A significant measles outbreak has swept through Texas and New Mexico, leaving at least 100 people ill as of late February 2025.
What began as a localized cluster in an unvaccinated religious community in west Texas has escalated into the region’s most severe outbreak in nearly three decades,
raising alarms among public health officials and threatening the United State’s status as a country that had previously eliminated the highly contagious disease.
The outbreak’s origins trace back to mid-February when Texas reported a doubling of cases from 24 to 48 in a single week, with most infections occurring in unvaccinated individuals, particularly children under 17.
According to reports from mainstream sources like NBC News, all initial cases were linked to people who had not received the measles vaccine, with 13 hospitalizations recorded by February 14.
As the situation unfolded, the Associated Press noted that the outbreak crossed state lines, with New Mexico confirming its first cases shortly thereafter.
By February 18, the Albuquerque Journal reported that New Mexico had joined Texas in grappling with the spreading virus, though exact numbers in the state were still emerging.
By February 20, the situation had worsened considerably.
A report highlighted by Reuters indicated that the outbreak, which started in Texas, had now infected a combined total of at least 100 people across the two states.
Public health experts, cited by outlets like CNN, emphasized that the majority of those affected were unvaccinated, underscoring the role of vaccine hesitancy in fueling the crisis.
The Texas outbreak alone had already reached 48 confirmed cases by mid-February, per updates from BNO News, while New Mexico’s tally climbed steadily, with at least three cases confirmed early on and more reported in subsequent days.
The rapid spread has drawn comparisons to historical outbreaks, with RT News dubbing it “measles mayhem” and noting it as the biggest regional outbreak since 1996.
Hospitals in both states have seen a surge in admissions, particularly among young patients.
The Washington Post reported that the outbreak’s epicenter in west Texas, tied to a tight-knit community with low vaccination rates, provided a foothold for the virus to thrive before spilling into neighboring areas, including New Mexico.
Federal and state health officials are now racing to contain the outbreak, urging vaccination as the primary defense.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cited by multiple sources including ABC News, has warned that measles—eliminated in the U.S. in 2000—could regain a foothold if vaccination rates continue to falter.
The current crisis has reignited debates over vaccine policies, with experts interviewed by The New York Times pointing to misinformation and declining trust in public health measures as key contributors to the outbreak’s scale.
