Measles

Many of the patients are being treated in Lubbock, a medical hub for the South Plains where the outbreak originated.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has reported an increase of only one measles case connected with the West Texas since Tuesday. Our Samantha Larned has more on how counties in the region are faring. Severe dust storms have been plaguing far West Texas and New Mexico this spring. A new study examines the cost of these storms.

Gilbert Handal witnessed the devastating toll of measles on children in a Chilean hospital before the vaccine. Now, he warns of the dangers of forgetting that past.

There's been a second straight single-digit increase in new measles cases tied to the West Texas outbreak, but the state health department also says three new counties reported one case each. Two of the three new counties are just north of Dallas.

The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting a decrease in the number of new measles cases connected to the West Texas outbreak. Our Samantha Larned says the three most affected counties — Gaines, Terry, and Lubbock — saw no new cases from Tuesday to Friday. After winning its first-ever Big 12 Championship on Saturday, Texas Tech's softball team will host the NCAA Tournament Regional Round for the first time in program history.

The state health department has reported 19 more measles cases in connection with the West Texas outbreak since Friday. Our Samantha Larned says there have been 702 confirmed cases in Texas since the outbreak was identified. This week, a Texas House committee approved the senate's lead property tax cut bill. Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider reports SB 4 now moves to the full House for a vote. Also this week, the Texas Senate heard a bill that would expand the requirements for law enforcement agencies to submit individuals suspected of gang activity into statewide databases.

On Tuesday, the Lubbock-Cooper ISD Board of Trustees announced Aaron Waldrip as the Lone Finalist for the position of superintendent. Also this week, the Texas Lottery Commission voted to ban third-party couriers from selling lottery tickets in the state. The Texas Newsroom’s Nina Banks reports that the unanimous vote comes after months of heightened scrutiny against the Lottery agency. The City of Lubbock’s public health department announced that its MMR vaccine clinic will be returning from extended hours back to normal hours after this Saturday.

The measles outbreak is not easing up around the country. The CDC reports 884 confirmed cases nationwide, three times the number of cases in 2024. In West Texas, where the outbreak started, pediatricians are concerned about potentially more children being exposed to the virus.

The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting an increase of 20 measles cases since Friday. Our Samantha Larned reports that as cases continue to rise across the region, federal funding cuts are hindering response from public health departments. Today, the Texas House is expected to take up a controversial measure that would create a school voucher program for the state. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey says eyes are on rural Republicans and how they vote.

With cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Texas and other states will have to spend more on public health. The biggest expense of a measles outbreak is the public health response in shutting down the outbreak.