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The West Texas Measles Outbreak Has Ended

According to state health officials, a measles outbreak that started in an undervaccinated community and killed two children is now over.

As of August 5, the most recent update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 1,356 confirmed measles cases have been reported across the country this year. Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can temporarily weaken the immune system, leaving individuals vulnerable to secondary infections such as pneumonia. A measles outbreak is considered over after 42 days if no new cases are discovered because it is double the disease’s maximum incubation period—the longest time it can take between when a person is exposed to the virus and when they develop symptoms.

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