The Texas health department reported 309 measles cases in the state on Friday, an increase of 30 cases from its previous count. Cases in Gaines county, the center of the outbreak, rose to 211 from 191 as of March 18,

The number of measles cases has risen to 309 as the historical outbreak continues to rage on in West Texas and three new counties report infections, according to state officials on Friday. Of those, 40 patients are hospitalized.

A measles outbreak that began in Texas at the start of the year has infected over 300 people as of Tuesday, as cases of the highly contagious illness have been spotted in 17 states and already exceeded the total number of measles cases reported in 2024.