Cases in the ongoing measles outbreak have risen to 258 across Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, and state health departments are urging more people to get the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.

Dr. Ana Montanez is working overtime in Lubbock to contact vaccine-hesitant parents, explaining the grave risks posed by a disease that most American families have never seen, and one that can be prevented through immunization.

Less than three full months into 2025, US measles cases have outpaced last year’s total, as a worrying outbreak linked to two deaths continues to spread.