Before the school year began, Texas hadn’t reported a measles outbreak case in almost a month, bringing hope to many residents that one of the largest outbreaks in the United States was starting to fade. However, the start of the school year presents a new threat as declining vaccination rates raise concerns for families and new outbreaks and cases from other states continue to contribute to the national tally.
Statistics
Currently, there have been 35 outbreaks as of 2025. 87% of the cases in 2025 have been confirmed as outbreak-associated, as compared to 2024 when only 16 measles cases were reported, and only 69% of those were outbreak-associated. The measles virus is highly contagious, as nine out of ten non-vaccinated people exposed to the virus will become infected, making it more contagious than the flu, COVID-19, or even Ebola. To specify case amount, there have been 1,375 confirmed cases in 51 states, most of them being children. Unfortunately, this case count is the largest since 2000, when the threat was considered to have been eliminated in the U.S.
Causes
Measles, not merely a cold, causes several complications including brain inflammation, pneumonia, eye inflammation, and poor pregnancy outcomes like miscarriage. It is a highly contagious respiratory virus that affects mostly children under 5 years, adults over 20, and pregnant women. The virus transmits through direct contact from an infected person, especially those who are unvaccinated. It can also be contacted by touching contaminated surfaces, making schools especially unsafe locations.
Concerns and Prevention
As case numbers are rising, parents have growing concerns. Since this disease is more likely to spread in schools, parents are extremely scared to send their children, especially those who have not been vaccinated. This fear also comes from the virus’ extremely contagious nature as well as its potential to cause serious sickness or in some cases, death. However, doctors are saying increasing numbers and infection can be effectively prevented by getting vaccinated, and staying away from those who are infectious. Overall, it has been a serious problem, but with certain action, children will be safer and can continue to attend school free of risk.
Works Cited
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Measles Cases and Outbreaks.” Measles (Rubeola), CDC, 25 Apr. 2025, www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html.
Cleveland Clinic. “Measles: What Is It, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention.” Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, 28 Feb. 2025, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8584-measles.
McPhillips, Deidre. “A Massive US Measles Outbreak Has Slowed but the Start of the School Year Brings Renewed Risk of Spread.” CNN, 6 Aug. 2025, www.cnn.com/2025/08/06/health/measles-risk-us-back-to-school.
Schreiber, Melody. “As Measles Gains Ground in US, Texas Offers Lessons from Its Outbreak.” The Guardian, The Guardian, 22 Aug. 2025, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/22/measles-texas-lessons-vaccination.
Texas Health and Human Services. “Measles Outbreak – March 4, 2025 | Texas DSHS.” Texas.gov, 12 Aug. 2025, www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-2025.