The West Texas measles outbreak, the largest the United States has seen in more than two decades, is officially over, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) on Aug. 18.
The department stated that 42 days had passed with no new reported cases. Health officials use this benchmark because measles has a 21-day maximum incubation period—the longest it can take between exposure to the virus and the onset of symptoms, so two full incubation cycles without new cases indicates that the outbreak has been contained.
“We arrived at this point through a comprehensive outbreak response that included testing, vaccination, disease monitoring and educating the public about measles through awareness campaigns,” DSHS Commissioner Jennifer A. Shuford said in a statement….