Since late January, Texas accounted for over 250 cases of measles with it spreading into other states, as well as reported the first measles related death in the United States in over a decade. This article will touch on how the outbreak occurred, how contagious measles is, and possible medical help you can seek to lower your risk of contracting the disease.
Understanding Measles
Measles is not frequently talked about due to how infrequently it has become a disease. This largely has to do with the MMR measles vaccine, which was widely distributed in 1971 and has become a staple vaccine. The CDC has labeled it a highly contagious vaccine, and they recommend two doses of the MMR measles vaccine which has proven to be 97% effective. Also known as mumps or rubella, measles is known to cause serious health issues and danger to those untreated for it. While it is usually undermined as simple rashes or fevers, measles is much more serious. It is extremely contagious with 9 out of 10 people who aren’t properly vaccinated and come in contact with somebody infected with the measles virus, will contract the same disease. Symptoms usually appear 7-14 days after contact and commonly consist of a 104 Fahrenheit fever, a cough, runny nose, watery/red eyes, and/or rashes. While that doesn’t sound too bad, the real problems come from cases in children ages 5 or younger. They often contract symptoms of ear infections and diarrhea, and in extremely serious situations can get pneumonia and encephalitis – which is the inflammation of the brain. It’s helpful to understand this as it shows the danger this poses to those who underestimate its danger and contagiousness, and unfortunately disregard medical treatment.
The Expanding Outbreak
As mentioned before, the measles outbreak started in late January and has spread alarmingly since. Beginning in Gaines, Texas with a child contracting the first case of measles since the United States announced its elimination in 2000, most cases have been among children in the age range of 0-17, who are at the biggest risk of catching measles and contracting the more serious symptoms. The first death was announced on February 26th, being an unvaccinated school child. While the outbreak was mostly contained within the city of Gaines, the Texas Human Health and Safety website announced the first cases outside of Gaines and in South and Center Texas, as well as possible cases in Oklahoma and New Mexico.
It’s important to take care of your health, but doctors have been shunning recent widespread unproven treatments. Some common unproven treatments have been vitamin A and cod liver oil. While these treatments have gained some traction, doctors have been warning against it. There has been a lot of evidence showing that measles can deplete a body’s storage of vitamin A, if the person who has contracted measles has pre-existing vitamin deficiencies, but vitamin A can also accumulate, causing great harm to the liver and other health issues later in life. Most importantly, vitamin A cannot prevent measles, which has largely become a preventable disease. Health officials have stated that no data exists about the effectiveness of liver oil, going against claims of its effectiveness. Doctors have urged the best way to prevent children from getting measles is to give them the recommended two doses of the MMR vaccine.
Resources for Disease Prevention
If you wish to prevent measles and other infectious diseases and/or the spread of measles to help keep you and your community safe, keeping up on your vaccines is the easiest way to solve this issue. If you or any family member does fall ill with a sickness, it’s helpful to stay at home to prevent the spread, and alert anybody you recently visited so they can take the right steps to prevent becoming sick or spreading sickness. Renton High School and King County frequently help with giving free vaccines to anybody 18 and under. RHS’s HealthPoint will help students stay up to date with vaccines, mental health, wellness checks, and plenty of other medical support if a student needs. It also has no cost on the student’s end and can be a regular doctor for many students. Information is provided below. Remember to help keep your family and friends safe by taking proper precautions when dealing with sickness and disease control, for you and our community.
King County and RHS Health Point Information & Resources:
https://rentonhs.rentonschools.us/students/healthpoint
https://www.healthpointchc.org/find-clinics/renton-high-school
https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dph/health-safety/health-centers-programs-services/immunization
https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dph/health-safety/health-centers-programs-services/immunizations
https://www.rentonschools.us/learning-and-teaching/health-services/immunization-informatoin
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/health/measles-outbreak-map.html
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/measles-outbreak-texas-virus-deadly-b2714576.html
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/12/texas-measles-outbreak-spread
Image from Vox https://www.vox.com/health/404709/measles-outbreak-cdc-vaccine-booster-recommendations
