US measles outbreak slows in Texas, but school reopening fuels new concerns

DDM News

(DDM) – Health officials in the United States are cautiously optimistic as Texas reports no new outbreak-related measles cases in nearly a month, marking a potential slowdown in one of the nation’s largest measles surges in decades.

However, DDM gathered that the reprieve may be short-lived as the reopening of schools nationwide raises the risk of renewed spread.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that at least 89 measles cases have been reported since the start of July, more than the annual totals recorded in most years since the disease was declared eliminated 25 years ago.

So far in 2025, the country has recorded 1,356 confirmed cases, the highest figure in over three decades.

According to the CDC, 32 outbreaks this year account for nearly 90% of all reported cases since January.

Only 10 states remain without any reported measles cases in 2025, underscoring the widespread nature of the crisis.

Experts warn that the start of the school year could exacerbate the situation, especially as childhood vaccination rates continue to decline across parts of the US.

Large ongoing outbreaks in neighboring Canada and Mexico also heighten the risk of cross-border transmission.

“Nobody has a crystal ball, but the conditions are there to see an increased number of cases,” said Dr. Catherine Troisi, an infectious disease epidemiologist at UTHealth Houston.

Health officials point to declining measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination rates as a key factor in the resurgence of a disease once thought eliminated.

The CDC recommends that children receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, which is 97% effective at preventing measles.

On Saturday, Wisconsin reported nine new cases linked to a single exposure during travel to another US state.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has not disclosed the vaccination status of those infected or the exact state visited, citing privacy concerns and the low risk of community spread.

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