March 5, 2025
With this measles situation, I can honestly just tell you we haven’t taken any steps as a church. We did leave it up to the mothers.
Senior Pastor David Klassen with the Community Church of Seminole in West Texas, speaking to The Associated Press. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said last week that the outbreak was mainly in the Mennonite community.
Why It Matters: The current measles outbreak in West Texas has grown to at least 159 individuals, and one death has been reported since late January. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to spread among people.
Something To Consider: Earlier this week, Sec. Kennedy penned an official post where he stated, “I am deeply concerned about the recent measles outbreak.” He also explains how vaccines protect children and “contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons.” but noted, “The decision to vaccinate is a personal one.” The CDC recommends the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine at age 12-15 months and again at 4-6 years.
West Texas Measles Outbreak by the Numbers: The Texas Department of State Health Services updates case numbers on its website every Tuesday and Friday.
- Of the 159 confirmed cases, 22 patients have been hospitalized.
- One unvaccinated school-aged child has died.
- Of the total cases, 80 of the patients infected were not vaccinated, 74 had an unknown vaccinnation status and five patients had at least one dose of the MMR vaccine.
- A neighboring county in New Mexico has reported nine cases; however, there is no known connection between these two outbreaks. (AP)
More Context: In 2025, there have been 164 cases (three outbreaks) nationwide, according to the CDC. In 2024, 285 measles cases (16 outbreaks) were reported across the United States, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. In 2023, 59 measles cases (four outbreaks) were reported.
Read More: Measles Outbreak is Call to Action for All of Us (Department of Health and Human Services)
Image Credit: CDC / Unsplash
by Kelly Dean, Based in Kentucky.
