On April 11, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported 541 confirmed cases of measles, a rise of 36 cases from April 8. This spike is part of a broader nationwide outbreak of the highly contagious childhood disease.
Gaines County at the Center of the Crisis
Gaines County, the hardest-hit region in the state, now has 355 reported cases, up from 328 earlier this week. The outbreak has led to widespread concern among health officials and the public.
Two Children Have Died
Tragically, two unvaccinated children with no underlying health issues have died from the disease in Texas. One of them was an 8-year-old girl who passed away last week.
Measles Spreading Across the U.S.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been 712 measles cases across 25 states so far in 2025. That’s 105 more cases than last week’s total.
New Mexico Also Affected
Neighboring New Mexico has reported a total of 58 cases, including two new infections since Tuesday.
Vaccine Advocacy Sees Shift
Interestingly, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and a longtime vaccine skeptic, has now publicly supported vaccination as the most effective way to stop the disease from spreading.
CDC: Most Cases Involve the Unvaccinated
The CDC stated that 97% of current measles cases involve individuals who are either unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status.
Seven Outbreaks in 2025 So Far
As of April 11, there have been seven official measles outbreaks — defined as three or more related cases — in 2025, compared to six in the previous update.
Stay protected:
Health experts strongly urge everyone, especially children, to get vaccinated. The MMR vaccine (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) is the most reliable defense against this potentially deadly virus.
