Daijiworld Media Network- Austin

Austin, May 1: A major measles outbreak in West Texas is raising serious concerns among health officials, with experts warning that the United States' long-held status of having eliminated the disease could be at risk.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, the Texas outbreak—which began in late January—has already infected over 700 people, caused dozens of hospitalisations, spread to multiple states, and tragically claimed the first US measles-related lives in over a decade.

The resurgence is especially alarming as the US had declared measles eliminated in the year 2000, following a robust national vaccination campaign that significantly curbed the virus's spread. The term "eliminated" in public health refers to the absence of endemic transmission for at least 12 months in a country with a strong disease surveillance system, as per the World Health Organization.

However, epidemiologists now fear that the current Texas outbreak may linger beyond a year, putting the US at risk of losing that status.

The outbreak’s epicentre, Gaines County in West Texas, has reported 396 cases as of Tuesday—an increase from earlier figures. Statewide, Texas has now recorded 663 cases. Other affected states with active outbreaks (defined as three or more cases) include Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.

Nationwide, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 884 confirmed cases of measles so far in 2025—nearly triple the total recorded in 2024.

Health experts attribute the rapid spread in part to declining childhood vaccination rates since the COVID-19 pandemic. Increasing numbers of parents are seeking exemptions on religious or personal grounds, eroding the critical "herd immunity" that helps prevent outbreaks. Communities with vaccination rates above 95 per cent are generally able to resist such outbreaks, but those falling below that threshold remain vulnerable.

The outbreak in Chicago earlier this year, which infected over 60 people, had already sparked national concern. The situation in Texas, however, is being closely watched by global health authorities as a potential tipping point.

If the outbreak persists past the one-year mark, the United States could officially lose its measles elimination designation—a major setback for public health in the country.