Actively Infectious Cases in the Texas Measles Outbreak
As the case count increases and measles spreads to more Texas counties and more states, do you think that the Texas measles outbreak is slowing down?
As the Texas measles outbreak continues to grow, the Texas Department of State Health Services has added some new information to their bi-weekly reports:
“Five percent, or fewer than 30 of the confirmed cases, are estimated to be actively infectious since their rash onset date was more than a week ago.”
Measles Outbreak – April 11, 2025
Now before you get too excited that this means the outbreaks are slowing down, know that they also said that:
“Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities.”
Measles Outbreak – April 11, 2025
Still, it’s good that “fewer than 30 of the confirmed cases” are actively infectious, right?
Actively Infectious Cases in the Texas Measles Outbreak
Well, it is certainly better than there being 300 active cases!
But, it really doesn’t tell you enough information to let you know if the outbreak is slowing down or getting ready to rev up.
What information would be more helpful?
To know if the outbreak is slowing down, we really need to know what is going on with those folks who are getting exposed to those with active measles infections.
Are they getting vaccinated, which can reduce the chance that they will get measles?
Are they going into self-quarantine, so that they won’t expose anyone else once they get sick with measles?
“The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) is alerting Pennsylvanians that an individual from another state tested positive for measles while visiting Lancaster County after a trip to Texas, creating a potential for exposure to others.”
Department of Health Alerts Pennsylvanians of Confirmed Measles Case in Out-of-State Visitor in Lancaster County
Or are they traveling and exposing others?
Katherine Wells, director of public health in Lubbock, the largest city in the West Texas region affected by the outbreak, said she is seeing the impact of that misinformation today.
"Talking to the community, they really stopped vaccinating about 20 years ago, which is in line with what we've seen in other communities across the United States," she said.
Texas' measles outbreak isn't slowing down. How can that change?
And are they still listening to anti-vaccine influencers, even after being Wakefielded and two of their unvaccinated children have died?
References
Measles Outbreak – April 11, 2025 https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-2025
Department of Health Alerts Pennsylvanians of Confirmed Measles Case in Out-of-State Visitor in Lancaster County https://www.pa.gov/agencies/health/newsroom/doh-alerts-pennsylvanians-of-confirmed-measles-case-in-in-lancas.html
Texas' measles outbreak isn't slowing down. How can that change? https://www.npr.org/2025/04/08/nx-s1-5342706/texas-measles-outbreak-vaccine-seminole-gaines
As best I can tell, in Texas (as in Ontario, Canada) the "centers" of infection are in religious communities who are unlikely to be reading Andrew Wakefield. I don't mean to defend their viewpoint on this, but their antipathy to modern medicine precedes Andrew Wakefield by centuries...