Texas Faces Worst Measles Outbreak in Decades as Vaccine Opposition Persists

A Mennonite community's vaccine hesitancy contributes to 279 cases and two fatalities, with misinformation complicating public health efforts.

The ongoing measles outbreak in Texas has reached 279 cases, marking the state’s worst outbreak in over 30 years, with two reported fatalities.
A six-year-old unvaccinated girl from a Mennonite community in Gaines County died from measles-related complications on February 26, 2025.
The child’s parents, who oppose vaccination, claim that measles strengthens the immune system, a claim refuted by medical experts and public health authorities.
Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine organization, amplified the parents’ views in a recent interview, further spreading vaccine misinformation.
Health experts and the CDC emphasize the critical importance of the MMR vaccine to prevent severe complications and curb the outbreak’s spread.