March 29, 2025 (EIRNS)—According to a March 28 CDC report there are now 483 confirmed cases of measles in 19 states, with 70 people hospitalized. There has been one confirmed death in the outbreak and another death is under investigation. The reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated that 97% of these cases involve people who were not vaccinated or whose vaccine status was unknown. Measles had been virtually eradicated in the United States, but the number of cases has been rising in recent years. In 2024 the U.S. had 285 cases.
Texas health officials report 400 cases with the highest concentration in Gaines County and the “South Plains” area along the border with New Mexico. The population of Gaines County is only 22,500, but it has one of the highest immunization exemption rates in the state. Vaccination for school attendance is mandatory in many counties, but in Gaines County fully 18% of students have opted out. A high percentage of those unvaccinated are of the Mennonite denomination of Christianity. There are also 44 cases in New Mexico, where the highest concentration is in Lea County, which neighbors Gaines County, Texas, according to the health department of New Mexico.