State health officials added four more counties to what they consider “outbreak areas” and advise those visiting or living in those counties to consult measles vaccination guidance for those areas.

Measles cases in Texas are rising, with five new counties now added to the outbreak zone, the Texas Department of State Health Services said on Monday.

State health officials reported 24 new measles cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of reported cases to 505.

The multistate outbreak confirms health experts’ fears that the virus will take hold in other U.S. communities with low vaccination rates.

The U.S. has more than double the number of measles cases it saw in all of 2024. Texas is reporting the majority of them with 505. The cases include two young elementary school-aged children who were not vaccinated and died from measles-related illnesses near the epicenter of the outbreak in rural Texas,

Health experts say driving up vaccination rates in affected areas is the most effective defense against this disease.

A public health official in Texas recently warned that the state's ongoing measles outbreak could last a year. Why are cases expected to keep rising?

Many people not getting tested for measles or don't have access to test for highly infectious disease as outbreak area expands.

A measles outbreak spanning multiple states is nearing 600 cases, and experts say it might just be the beginning.