Measles

In Lubbock, federal grants helped hire workers to help with measles testing, vaccination to combat the outbreak that has spread to 15 counties.

The politics of ending vaccine requirements in Texas is in conflict with the reality of a raging measles outbreak in West Texas. Texans for Vaccine Choice, a powerful political action committee, has been leading the fight to weaken vaccination requirements.

At least 10 Kansans have tested positive for measles. Health officials urge full vaccination against the disease.

A longstanding dispute over water-sharing between the U.S. and Mexico is raising concerns for farmers in South Texas. The Texas Newsroom’s Lucio Vasquez reports the U.S. government has now denied Mexico’s latest request for water, citing ongoing shortfalls in Mexico’s required deliveries. Hockley County, Garza County, and Hale County have joined the list of Texas counties reporting measles cases connected with the ongoing outbreak in the region.

The Texas Senate has passed a bill that would create a designated time to pray and read the Bible or other religious text during the school day. Texas and New Mexico have a combined measles case count of 317 since late January, surpassing the C.D.C.’s total measles cases for the United States in all of 2024. Our Samantha Larned reports on a change in Texas' classification of certain cases. Meanwhile, here in Lubbock, Texas Tech has announced two potential measles exposure sites: the Carpenter/Wells Complex and the Student Health Services clinic from March 4 through 12.

Lubbock's city council gave final approval on a zoning change in the Tech Terrace neighborhood, permitting the construction of a student housing project where the Godbold building once stood. Our reporter Samantha Larned has an update on the measles outbreak in Texas in New Mexico region, plus two new cases reported in Oklahoma. Texas Tech University is hosting a free car clinic today for students, students, faculty, and staff from 10:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. at the northwest portion of the Commuter Satellite parking lot, on the corner of 10th Street and Texas Tech Parkway.

The measles outbreak in rural Texas has exposed how hospital buildings are ill-equipped. Meanwhile, long distances between providers makes testing people and transporting samples difficult.

The measles outbreak has claimed at least two lives so far. Texas will share its own update on the outbreak on Friday.

The Texas Newsroom’s Nina Banks reports on two proposed bills in the Texas Legislature, authored by Lubbock state senator Charles Perry, that would restrict THC sales. Measles cases continue to rise in the region, including here in Lubbock. Our reporter Samantha Larned says health officials expect numbers to "pick up" in more densely populated areas.

Vaccination eliminated measles from the U.S. 25 years ago. But it can still spread in pockets where vaccination rates are low, like the west Texas county with a current outbreak. Here's how fast.