Measles cases reported in Texas as vaccine rate against the disease has fallen

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At least four cases of measles, including two involving school-aged children, have been reported in Texas in less than two weeks, putting state health agencies on alert.

For some communities, this is the first case of measles in more than 20 years.

Lara Anton, spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services, said the agency sent out an alert to health providers statewide once measles were confirmed to be found in two adult residents in Harris County last week.

The alert stated that both individuals reside in the same household and were unvaccinated against measles. These were the first confirmed cases of measles reported in Texas since 2023, when two were reported.

Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease. General symptoms may include fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, and a full-body rash. This disease can cause serious health consequences and even death, especially for young and unvaccinated children.

About 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the U.S. who get measles will be hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Up to three of every 1,000 children who become infected with measles may die from respiratory and neurologic complications.

Houston Health Department officials say the cases of measles were associated with the pair’s recent international travel and released a list of possible locations and dates where members of the public might have been exposed.

The state health agency also confirmed two measles cases in the South Plains, both involving school-aged children who were not vaccinated. Anton said they were hospitalized and have since been discharged.

Katherine Wells, the Lubbock Health Department's health director, said the children were treated at a Lubbock health care facility. They were from the area, but not Lubbock residents. Wells said at this time, there are no known sites of exposure outside the health care facility where they were tested. Since Lubbock is the medical hub for the South Plains, they traveled to Lubbock for testing.

“We’re working with the South Plains Public Health District and our medical partners to work and identify where there could have been some community exposures,” Wells said. The state health agency is helping with the disease investigation in Lubbock and the South Plains region.

Wells said the community should be aware of the cases, as well as health care professionals who see rashes or high fevers from their patients.

“We want people to know there were some cases here,” Wells said. “So if they have concerns and are unvaccinated, call your health provider or the health department for more information.”

Wells said that the last measles case in Lubbock County was in 2004.

Austin Public Health has also sent an alert about the potential measles outbreak, urging residents to take proactive measures to protect themselves and their families. The last confirmed measles case in the city of Austin was in December 2019.

“Vaccination is our best defense against measles and other preventable diseases,” said Desmar Walkes, medical director and health authority for Austin/Travis County. “By staying up to date on vaccinations, we not only protect ourselves but also the most vulnerable members of our community.”

The recent upswing in cases statewide comes as the measles vaccination rate among kindergarteners has dropped, from almost 97% in the 2019-2020 school year to 94.3% in 2023-24. Texas is among the majority of states that have seen vaccination declines since the pandemic.

In March 2024, there were already more reported cases of measles than in all of 2023, according to the CDC.

A result of the country’s vaccination program, measles was officially eliminated from the United States in 2000, meaning the disease has not spread continuously for over 12 months.

Experts recommend that children get the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine in two doses: the first between 12 months and 15 months of age and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is about 93% effective at preventing measles infection, and two doses are about 97% effective.

Other diseases considered long-forgotten are also now making a comeback.

Whooping cough is returning to pre-pandemic levels. Polio, another disease thought to be eradicated, was detected in New York State wastewater in 2022.

Vaccine proponents fear statewide disease trends will worsen as Texas lawmakers this legislative session try to weaken vaccine mandates and more families opt out of immunizations.

Since 2018, the requests to the Texas Department of State Health Services for an exemption form have doubled from 45,900 to more than 93,000 in 2024.

Lawmakers have filed more than 20 vaccination-related bills, including a House joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Texas Constitution to preserve Texans’ right to refuse vaccination.

President Donald Trump’s re-election and his selection of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his choice for U.S. Health and Human Services secretary has boosted the vaccine choice movement. Kennedy has previously made controversial comments about vaccines, which include linking them to autism in children.

During his confirmation hearing this week, U.S. Senators questioned his trip to Samoa in 2019, months before 83 people, mostly children, died of a measles outbreak there.

Kennedy has recently walked back some of his statements during the hearing, saying he is not “anti-vax” but “pro-safety” when asked to clarify his stance on vaccines.

“I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking anything,” he said.