Texas and New Mexico measles outbreaks grow, with Texas reporting 481 cases across 19 counties, affecting largely undervaccinated areas.

The measles outbreak in western Texas is continuing to grow with a total of 505 in the state, according to data published Tuesday.

The multistate outbreak confirms health experts’ fears that the virus will take hold in other U.S. communities with low vaccination rates.

The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said. A state health department spokesperson said measles exposures ...

The measles outbreak in western Texas has hit 481 cases as 59 newly identified infections were confirmed over the last three days, according to new data published Friday.

A second child has died in Texas after contracting measles, The New York Times first reported Sunday—the second confirmed death from the disease in a decade—as more than 600 measles cases have now been confirmed in 20 states, with much of the outbreak centered in northwest Texas.

Texas has now seen 505 measles cases and two school-aged children have died amid an outbreak centered in the South Plains region.

Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. Here’s what else you need to know about measles in the U.S.:

Kansas has 32 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state, health officials announced Wednesday. Two of the counties, Finney and Ford, are new on the list and are major population centers in that part of the state. Haskell has the most with eight cases, Stevens County has seven, Kiowa County has six, and the rest have five or fewer.

The measles outbreak that began in northwest Texas has now surpassed a combined 500 cases in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.