At least 124 cases of measles have been reported in Texas since late January — marking the largest outbreak in the state in close to 30 years. The dozens of reported cases have mostly affected children,

Cases of the highly contagious disease are expected to rise and potentially spread to other states where vaccination rates are low.

Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images, FILE (GAINES COUNTY, Texas) — A measles outbreak in Texas is continuing to grow, reaching 124 cases, new data released Tuesday shows.

As of Feb. 20, there were a total of 93 measles cases reported in eight states: Alaska, California, Georgia, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island and Texas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For comparison, 285 cases were reported in the U.S. in 2024.

With a large, high-profile measles outbreak in West Texas, declining childhood vaccination rates, and the appointment of a vocal vaccine skeptic to America’s top health post, should schools brace for a possible resurgence of once-eradicated diseases?