As of March 28, 2025, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported 400 measles cases with 41 hospitalizations in the South Plains and Panhandle region.
Additionally, one school-aged unvaccinated child who lived in the region died. The child had no underlying health conditions.
The cases by county are as follows: Lamb County has one case.
Lubbock County has 23 cases. Hockley County has two cases. Hale County has one case. Cochran County has eight cases.
Yoakum County has 15 cases. Terry County has 38 cases. Dallam County has seven cases. Dawson County has 14 cases. Ector County has four cases. Gaines County has 270 cases. Garza County has one case.
Lamar County has 10 cases.
Lynn County has one case. Martin County has three cases. Midland County has one case. Andrews County has one case. Age ranges for the reported cases are as follows: 131 cases are between zero and four years old.
164 cases are between five and 17 years old.
80 cases are 18 years old or older.
25 cases are pending. DSHS reports that, considering the highly contagious nature of the disease, more cases are likely to occur in the region.
Measles Prevention
The best way to prevent illness is to receive two doses of a measles vaccine, which is primarily administered as the combination measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR vaccine). Two doses of the MMR vaccine are highly effective at preventing measles.
The measles vaccine can occasionally cause a reaction with a rash and fever that mimics measles, but it is not a measles infection and cannot spread to other people. The body takes about 14 days after vaccination to develop immunity to measles, so an individual isn’t considered vaccinated until that period passes.
People can get vaccinated by visiting their health care provider or a pharmacy. Vaccines are also available through the Texas Vaccines for Children and Adult Safety Net Providers. Use the DSHS measles outbreak page maps to find a TVFC or ASN provider.
Pharmacies can vaccinate people 14 and older without a prescription. Children under 14 need a prescription to get the MMR vaccine at a pharmacy.
Visit the Texas Department of State Health Services website for more information about the disease and to track the number of cases.