Measles continues to spread in the US state of Texas, with the number of cases reaching 124.
Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said that most of the cases were unvaccinated individuals or individuals whose vaccination status was unknown. Meanwhile,18 people have been hospitalized so far.
Children and adolescents aged five to 17 years old make up the majority of cases, with 62 cases, followed by 39 cases among children aged four years or younger.
Rural Gaines County is the epicenter of the outbreak, with 80 cases confirmed among residents, according to DSHS.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has so far separately confirmed 93 cases in eight states this year in Alaska, California, Georgia, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island and Texas.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases, and a single infected person can spread measles to up to nine out of 10 susceptible close contacts, according CDC. The United States witnessed a spike in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that infected more than 60 people.
