Measles cases in Texas, New Mexico rise to 317 as outbreak spreads

Measles cases in Texas and New Mexico rose to 317 on Tuesday from 294 four days ago as the U.S. battles one of the largest measles outbreaks in the past decade.

The country has already surpassed last year's count of 285 infections, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Cases in Gaines County, Texas, the center of the outbreak, rose to 191 on Tuesday, compared with 174 cases on March 14. So far, 36 patients have been hospitalized across the state.

On Friday, Oklahoma's health department reported four "probable" cases of unvaccinated individuals who were exposed to the outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico and experienced measles-like symptoms.

An unvaccinated child with no underlying health conditions died of measles in Texas in February, marking the first death in the U.S. from the disease since 2015. Another death of an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico is still under investigation.

The CDC has said the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the most important tool for preventing measles.