West Texas Measles Outbreak Nearly Doubles, Reaching 90 Cases Across Seven Counties

West Texas has a very bad measles outbreak. The number of proven cases has jumped to 90 across seven counties, almost twice as many as last week. The outbreak began in Gaines County with two kids who hadn't been vaccinated. It has since spread to New Mexico. As of Friday, more than a dozen people had to go to the hospital because of problems caused by the widespread virus.

Health experts in Texas say the outbreak could get worse. This is the biggest measles outbreak in the state in almost 30 years. The most recent number of cases by county shows that there are 57 in Gaines County, 20 in Terry County, 6 in Dawson County, 4 in Yoakum County, and one each in Ector, Lubbock, and Lynn County.

People with measles often think they have a cold at first because of a cough, runny nose, itchy eyes, and a high fever. Within days, tiny white spots called Koplik's spots show up on the inside of the cheeks. These are followed by a transparent red rash that starts at the hairline and moves downward.

Health officials stress the importance of getting vaccinated because most cases involve people who have not been protected. With two doses, the MMR vaccine is said to be 97% effective at keeping people from getting measles. People in the area are being asked to get medical help if they start to feel sick and to take steps to stop the disease from spreading.

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