In about a month, federal health officials will decide whether the United States can still be considered a country where measles has been “eliminated.”
Dallas is the second Texas county to sue over public health cuts after a judge ordered the Trump administration to return $20 million to Harris County last summer.
The Tribune’s team of data journalists produced a congressional redistricting tool, covered several education data releases, visualized the measles outbreak and more.
Months after public health officials say they caused the nation’s largest measles surge in 30 years, some West Texas Mennonites have grown more skeptical of the mainstream medical system.
The study also suggests that an outbreak the size of the one in West Texas earlier this year costs about $12.6 million.
A Richmond woman recently learned that she is not immune to the measles virus, despite receiving the vaccine nearly 60 years ago. KPRC 2 reporter Corley Peel spoke with a doctor who indicated that she may not be alone in this situation.
The update comes just days after Harris County confirmed its first measles case, but officials say it's not connected to any local cases in the Greater Houston area.
The Houston Health Department is currently reaching out to residents who may have been exposed to measles in connection with Fort Bend County’s first confirmed case.
Health officials said that the case is an adult female, age 50-60, associated with recent international travel. County health officials said that they are actively investigating the case.
A confirmed measles case has been reported at the Houston Methodist Emergency Care Center, leading to a proactive alert to those potentially exposed.
The CDC highlights that while the measles vaccine is highly effective, vaccinated individuals can still contract the disease, though it is rare and typically results in a milder form.
The College of American Pathologists came together to discuss this measles outbreak to address some concerns, believing the number of measles cases in Texas is an underestimation of how much of the disease is actually out there.
The Department of State Health Services said there have been 198 cases identified in the South Plains region of Texas since January. 23 patients have been hospitalized.
As the number of measles cases in Texas climbs, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo joined Mayor Whitmire and health officials to discuss the disease’s impact on the Greater Houston area and efforts to curb its spread.
For the first time in years, Americans are in the midst of an outbreak of the measles virus. Earlier this week, an unvaccinated child in Texas was the first person to die from the virus in a decade, and more than 100 people have confirmed infections.
Texas schools require immunizations against preventable diseases and most of what’s required will be given before students enroll in Kindergarten.