The Texas Department of State Health Services reported on Friday that 597 measles cases have been confirmed across the state since late January.
This marks an increase of 36 cases since the department’s previous update on Tuesday.
The outbreak is said to be concentrated in West Texas. Health officials noted that about 4% of those confirmed cases—at least 30 individuals—are currently infectious, as their symptoms, specifically rash onset, began within the past week.
Earlier in the week, the department had reported 561 confirmed cases. In response to the surge, the US government has deployed seven personnel to Texas to help curb the spread of the disease.
The number of hospitalizations related to the outbreak rose by four, bringing the total to 62. Meanwhile, the number of deaths remains at two, both of whom were school-aged children from the affected region.
Officials warned that more cases are likely to appear in the outbreak zone and neighboring communities, given the highly contagious nature of measles.