Measles cases rise to 23 in Kansas, may be linked to large multistate outbreak

[Donger]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/26/healt...eak/index.html

Twenty-three measles cases have been reported in Kansas, and the state health department said they could be linked to an ongoing outbreak that has infected at least 379 people across Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

“The confirmed cases in Kansas have a possible link to the outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico. While genetic sequencing of the first Kansas case reported is consistent with an epidemiological link to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the source of exposure is still unknown,” Jill Bronaugh, communications director for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said in an email Wednesday.

Children account for 21 of the Kansas cases, and 20 of the cases are in people who are unvaccinated.

The Kansas measles cases are concentrated in the southwestern part of the state and have spread to six counties.

Most of the public school districts in these counties have vaccination rates that are well below the recommended 95% threshold set by the Department of Health and Human Services to stop spread of the virus. Hugoton Public Schools in Stevens County, which accounts for more than a quarter of the cases, had an 83% vaccination rate among kindergartners last school year, according to data from the state health department. And the Sublette Unified School District in Haskell County had a vaccination rate of just 44%.

Statewide, 90.4% of incoming kindergartners in the 2023-24 school year had received the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows. Only 15 other states had lower coverage rates.

Religious exemptions for vaccinations have risen in Kansas over the past decade. Last week, the state House of Representatives passed a bill including language that would expand such exemptions. The measure, which also aims to increase child care availability and capacity, is now being debated in a state Senate committee.

“The provision in HB2294 is simply bad public health policy and Kansas children will be harmed by it,” Dr. Brandon Kennedy, chair of the Immunize Kansas Coalition, said in a statement last week.

As part of the wider measles outbreak, Texas has reported 327 cases as of Tuesday, and New Mexico reported 43 cases. Oklahoma has reported nine cases: seven confirmed and two probable.
measles_card.png

Related article Tracking measles cases in the United States

Forty-two people have been hospitalized and one death reported, a school-age child who was not vaccinated and had no underlying conditions. Health officials in New Mexico are also investigating the cause of death of an unvaccinated person who tested positive for measles.

Most of the cases in Texas are in Gaines County, where the outbreak was first identified. In New Mexico, most are in Lea County, which borders Gaines County.

Officials say the virus’ spread into additional counties is a problem.

“We’re continuing to see more counties with one case popping up. … It’s concerning every time we add additional counties with cases,” said Katherine Wells, director of Lubbock Public Health in Texas. “It indicates that people are either traveling through Gaines County and picking it up, or we’re having people infected with measles traveling outside the county.”

Tuesday’s update from the Oklahoma State Department of Health indicates links with the Texas and New Mexico cases.

“All cases are linked through exposures to household or extended family; and initial cases reported exposure to the measles outbreak in West Texas and New Mexico. At this time, no cases have resulted from exposure to public settings,” the agency said.

Although most of the cases in the outbreak have been in people who were unvaccinated or who had unknown vaccination status, six were found in people who said they have received at least one dose of MMR: two in Texas and four in New Mexico.

New Mexico’s case update Tuesday reported only one additional case since Friday, but local officials said they worry that the numbers will continue to grow
Two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine are 97% effective against the measles virus.

“This is not necessarily a downward trend. It could just be a lull in what is an ongoing outbreak,” said Robert Nott, communications director for the New Mexico Department of Health. “We are not taking it for granted.”

The CDC is on the ground in Texas to help with infection control, including figuring out how to reduce exposures in patient waiting rooms and answering technical questions for health care providers who have never seen measles before, Wells said.

New Mexico has not requested CDC assistance, but the agency has been in communication with the health department, according to local officials.

There have been more than 444 measles cases reported in the United States this year, according to CNN’s tally of cases.

Less than a quarter through 2025, this is already more than all of the cases reported last year. In 2024, there were 285 measles cases reported in the US, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

[RedinTexas]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHammersticks

When I was a kid we laughed at the measles.

All getting the measles meant was getting to stay home and read comic books while the rest of the suckers were in school.

It was nothing. We almost hoped we'd get it.

Only the genetically weak have anything to worry about. The type of frail people who die from colds.

I received the measles vaccine in the 60s that was later terminated when it was found to have been ineffective. Unfortunately, I got the measles when I was 17 and it was no joke. Hospitalized with extremely high fever and pneumonia. Without getting into the politics of vaccines, I highly endorse the traditional vaccines. Nobody should have to go through what I did.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by RedinTexas

I received the measles vaccine in the 60s that was later terminated when it was found to have been ineffective. Unfortunately, I got the measles when I was 17 and it was no joke. Hospitalized with extremely high fever and pneumonia. Without getting into the politics of vaccines, I highly endorse the traditional vaccines. Nobody should have to go through what I did.

Yeah, but have you consider that you’re genetically weak?

In all seriousness, how has your immune system been since? I’ve read that measles can “reset” your immune system by destroying memory cells. Apparently it can take months or years to recover.

[RedinTexas]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Yeah, but have you consider that you’re genetically weak?

In all seriousness, how has your immune system been since? I’ve read that measles can “reset” your immune system by destroying memory cells. Apparently it can take months or years to recover.

It's been 50 years, but I don't recall having been sickly afterward. It just took a couple of months to recover. If you've ever had pneumonia you'll know what I'm talking about and I had a pretty severe case. It's known now as Atypical Measles Syndrome.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

IF only there were a way to prevent lighting strikes with a harmless pinch to the arm that was administered by a highly educated expert that would also prevent the electricity form spreading to others.

The only problem with the argument of highly educated expert is that after COVID, that is a dubious claim. Many so called professionals in the medical community were just doing what they were told by a small minority. And several people, who were not just some nutjobs but actually respected medical professionals, were ignored, shunned, or canceled. And that was simply due to the fact that they offered alternatives and weren't promoting the "approved" messaging.

I, like jdubya suggested, am skeptical of the experts now. That doesn't mean that I am anti vax, by any means (just got shingles vaccine 1.5 years ago). But I feel like I did learn from that experience how manipulative people in positions of power can be and how much they are willing to wield said power.
That's what I feel COVID was about. Not that I am into conspiracy theories like plandemic or whatnot. It was real, but it was also used to manipulate societies.

And frankly, even those that are medical experts didn't bother to account for the effects of shutting down society. And why should they? That's not their expertise. But they should have.

I am currently reading Diary of a Psychosis: How Public Health Disgraced Itself During Covid Mania by Thomas E Woods Jr and The Libertarian Institute. It's a good read and helps to put things in perspective. Check it out. Or don't and continue to not see things. I don't care.

[Rainbarrel]

If it leads to mumps and testicle removal. Who loses

[TLO]

Originally Posted by JohnnyHammersticks

When I was a kid we laughed at the measles.

All getting the measles meant was getting to stay home and read comic books while the rest of the suckers were in school.

It was nothing. We almost hoped we'd get it.

Only the genetically weak have anything to worry about. The type of frail people who die from colds.

Hell yeah brother!!

[irafreak]

Originally Posted by jdubya

Fair enough. Today when you hear "anti vax" it is usually about the most recent years. My point is I dont think very many folks are against the traditional MMRs that have been around for decades.

Honestly I don't think most "anti vax" people are even "all vaccines are evil." The ones i know are more about why can't we choose which ones?" They make it so it's get them all or claim exemptions. Plenty of parents don't want the hpv one for example.

I just wish this whole thing was treated like science and not politics. Why are both sides so nasty about it all? I think if the medical community would just be ok with their real side effects just like all other meds, there would be less push back. All the fear mongering from both sides needs to stop. So does the ridiculing...

[kysirsoze]

Originally Posted by Rausch

Not that it matters. If you get vaccinated you're covered. It doesn't matter what your neighbor does. That's their risk.

You have to have been told this before, but this view doesn't account for the immunocompromised. Whether by nature or due to something like cancer treatment, a lot of people aren't able to take a vaccine. Other people getting immunized helps protect them.

[DJJasonp]

The CDC defines a measles outbreak as 3 or more in the same area.

40% of the 285 in 2024 were hospitalizations.

In 2025, we are at 378, but with only 17% hospitalized

This straight from the cdc website.

Anyone who thinks this just Dong being nice with just an FYI is fooling themselves

[Couch-Potato]

Originally Posted by Rausch

What they do doesn't matter.

This is like arguing that cavities will spread to your family if your neighbor doesn't brush his teeth. Not true. If you take TRT therapy your test will go up. Your neighbor doesn't have to. His low T is his problem.

False. You can’t compare a contagious disease to brushing your teeth or TRT therapy, they are not alike.

[Couch-Potato]

Originally Posted by Lzen

The only problem with the argument of highly educated expert is that after COVID, that is a dubious claim. Many so called professionals in the medical community were just doing what they were told by a small minority. And several people, who were not just some nutjobs but actually respected medical professionals, were ignored, shunned, or canceled. And that was simply due to the fact that they offered alternatives and weren't promoting the "approved" messaging.

I, like jdubya suggested, am skeptical of the experts now. That doesn't mean that I am anti vax, by any means (just got shingles vaccine 1.5 years ago). But I feel like I did learn from that experience how manipulative people in positions of power can be and how much they are willing to wield said power.
That's what I feel COVID was about. Not that I am into conspiracy theories like plandemic or whatnot. It was real, but it was also used to manipulate societies.

And frankly, even those that are medical experts didn't bother to account for the effects of shutting down society. And why should they? That's not their expertise. But they should have.

I am currently reading Diary of a Psychosis: How Public Health Disgraced Itself During Covid Mania by Thomas E Woods Jr and The Libertarian Institute. It's a good read and helps to put things in perspective. Check it out. Or don't and continue to not see things. I don't care.

When one scientist makes a discovery, they share it with other experts in their field. Who intern, share that knowledge with the general public. I’m still baffled by the issue people had with Covid. There was clearly a pandemic that was killing millions of people. It was a public safety hazard, the severity of or risk to your personal health you can argue back and forth as much as you’d like, but the reality was there were real world health concerns and they acted to save lives.

So people stayed home from work, you couldn’t gather in large public settings, and your local sandwich shop was delivery only… what’s the big deal? So what, we were less comfortable for about a year and your 401k took a hit. We acknowledge the firefighters at ground zero during 911 as patriots and heroes, but not the medical community for saving astronomically more lives from a different threat? It seems like a silly thing to get upset about and not thank them for their service.

My question is what course of action would those who opposed quarantine prefer during a world-wide pandemic that’s killing millions?

[stumppy]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

When one scientist makes a discovery, they share it with other experts in their field. Who intern, share that knowledge with the general public. I’m still baffled by the issue people had with Covid. There was clearly a pandemic that was killing millions of people. It was a public safety hazard, the severity of or risk to your personal health you can argue back and forth as much as you’d like, but the reality was there were real world health concerns and they acted to save lives.

So people stayed home from work, you couldn’t gather in large public settings, and your local sandwich shop was delivery only… what’s the big deal? So what, we were less comfortable for about a year and your 401k took a hit. We acknowledge the firefighters at ground zero during 911 as patriots and heroes, but not the medical community for saving astronomically more lives from a different threat? It seems like a silly thing to get upset about and not thank them for their service.

My question is what course of action would those who opposed quarantine prefer during a world-wide pandemic that’s killing millions?

This guy gets it.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Couch-Potato

When one scientist makes a discovery, they share it with other experts in their field. Who intern, share that knowledge with the general public. I’m still baffled by the issue people had with Covid. There was clearly a pandemic that was killing millions of people. It was a public safety hazard, the severity of or risk to your personal health you can argue back and forth as much as you’d like, but the reality was there were real world health concerns and they acted to save lives.

So people stayed home from work, you couldn’t gather in large public settings, and your local sandwich shop was delivery only… what’s the big deal? So what, we were less comfortable for about a year and your 401k took a hit. We acknowledge the firefighters at ground zero during 911 as patriots and heroes, but not the medical community for saving astronomically more lives from a different threat? It seems like a silly thing to get upset about and not thank them for their service.

My question is what course of action would those who opposed quarantine prefer during a world-wide pandemic that’s killing millions?

Social media largely didn't exist in 2001.

[notorious]

Oh no not this again.

Let's put it in the past. Far into the past. Like ancient history past.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by BossChief

My dad had Polio.

I had a Grandpa survive childhood polio. He was on an iron lung for a while as a kid. Cant imagine the terror those little kids faced.

These childhood vaccines have save BILLIONS of lives. I sure hope the whole Covid vaccine thing doesn't turn people against one of the best things we humans have ever accomplished.