A Growing Public Health Concern
A rapidly spreading measles outbreak in Texas, which has now reached neighboring states like New Mexico and Oklahoma, may take up to a year to bring under control, according to a leading public health official. Katherine Wells, the director of public health for Lubbock, Texas, expressed concerns on Tuesday about the outbreak’s continued expansion, emphasizing that the virus is still being transmitted among unvaccinated individuals and that vaccination efforts have been slow to gain traction.
“This is going to be a large outbreak, and we are still seeing an increase in cases,” Wells stated during a press conference hosted by the Big Cities Health Coalition. She highlighted that while improved testing capacity is identifying more infections, stopping the spread remains a challenge. Wells warned that if the outbreak persists for over a year, the U.S. could lose its measles elimination status—a designation it achieved in 2000. A similar threat emerged in 2019 when a prolonged outbreak in New York nearly led to the country being classified as measles-endemic once again.
The Extent of the Outbreak and Challenges in Control
As of Tuesday, Texas had confirmed 279 cases of measles, though officials believe the actual number is likely higher. The outbreak is concentrated in rural West Texas, particularly in a Mennonite community known for not vaccinating children. The disease has now spread to 11 counties across the state, with only two of the confirmed cases involving individuals who had received the recommended two doses of the measles vaccine.
The measles outbreak has affected several states significantly. New Mexico has reported 38 cases and one fatality, while Oklahoma has confirmed four cases, all in unvaccinated individuals. Texas has also recorded one measles-related death—a school-aged child who had not been vaccinated.
Wells stressed the difficulties in containing the outbreak, particularly due to its spread across rural and multi-state areas. “It’s going to take a lot more boots on the ground and a lot more work to get things under control,” she said. While vaccination efforts have ramped up in some places—Lubbock has administered 300 additional vaccine doses in recent weeks—many affected communities remain resistant to immunization.
Vaccine Misinformation Hindering Efforts
Public health officials believe that mixed messaging about the best approach to measles prevention is complicating containment efforts. Some vaccine skeptics, including public figures, have promoted alternative treatments such as vitamin A and cod liver oil rather than focusing on vaccination. While vitamin A has been shown to improve survival rates among malnourished children who contract measles, it does not prevent infection.
Phil Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services, emphasized the importance of a unified public health message. “One of the things we really depend on is a consistent message from all levels of leadership,” Huang said, stressing that vaccines are the key to stopping the outbreak.
Simbo Ige, Chicago’s commissioner of public health, also weighed in, pointing to a previous measles outbreak in her city. She noted that 30,000 doses of the vaccine were administered to control the spread, proving that vaccination—not alternative treatments—was the reason for success.
As health officials work to contain the outbreak, the battle against misinformation and vaccine hesitancy remains a major challenge. If vaccination rates do not increase, the risk of measles becoming endemic in the U.S. once again could become a reality.
