The Texas measles outbreak shows no sign of slowing down.
The state announced Friday that the number of cases has reached 400, a rise of more than 20 percent since the last update on Tuesday. Officials believe the actual number may be higher, citing an undercount.
The majority of cases are in unvaccinated individuals or those whose vaccination status is unknown, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. At least 41 people have been hospitalized so far, and a healthy, unvaccinated child tragically died from the disease in February, marking the first measles fatality in the U.S. in a decade. Only two cases have been reported in fully vaccinated individuals.
The outbreak is spreading beyond Texas, with 44 confirmed cases in New Mexico and nine in Oklahoma, including seven confirmed and two suspected cases.
Friday’s update came after the Trump administration canceled over $11 billion in COVID-19-era public health grants, a decision state and local health departments warn could hinder the response to Texas’s measles crisis.
Many departments are already facing financial strain, and some have been forced to cancel contracts and lay off workers. These grants were vital for vaccination efforts, testing, and disease tracking. Philip Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services, explained that funds were earmarked to equip a new lab that would have expanded testing for COVID-19 and other pathogens like measles.
