EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Measles has been confirmed in El Paso, prompting public health officials to begin contact tracing and urge residents to check their vaccination status.
The City of El Paso Department of Public Health confirmed four measles cases within the city.
The cases involve a man in his 20s, a man in his 30s, and two women in their 30s. Vaccination statuses for the four patients are unknown.
Public health officials have initiated contact tracing to identify potential exposures and are coordinating with community partners to prevent further spread of the virus and to ensure readiness and timely communication.
In addition to the four cases confirmed within the city, the department said it is aware of 13 additional measles cases reported at the East Montana federal facility, which is outside the city’s jurisdiction.
Case information for that facility is reported through federal authorities.
Although about 98 percent of El Paso County residents are vaccinated against measles, public health officials said they remain concerned about unvaccinated or under-vaccinated pockets within the community.
The department noted that young adults were among the most affected during the previous measles outbreak in El Paso, and the current cases also involve young adults. If vaccination is incomplete, residents should complete the series. Two doses of MMR provide about 97 percent protection, according to the department. Breakthrough infections are rare, and illness is typically milder with a lower risk of complications and transmission.
Measles spreads through coughing and sneezing and can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.
Symptoms typically begin with fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes, followed by a rash that spreads from the head down to the hands and feet. An infected person is contagious four days before and four days after the onset of the rash, with the rash onset date considered day 0.
Officials also released a list of potential exposure locations and urged anyone who visited during the specified dates and times to verify their immunization status and monitor for symptoms:
Feb. 20, 2026
Cici’s Pizza, 615 N. Zaragoza, 5:30-7:30 p.m.Cielo Vista Mall – Apple Store, 8401 Gateway Blvd. West, 4:30-6:45 p.m.Del Sol Medical Center, 10301 Gateway Blvd. West, 6 a.m.-8 p.m.Outlet Mall, 7051 S. Desert Blvd., 7-11 p.m.
Feb. 21, 2026
Outlet Mall, 7051 S. Desert Blvd., 7-11 p.m.
Feb. 22, 2026
Good Luck Café, 3813 Alameda, 8:30-11 a.m.Target-Bassett, 6001 Gateway Blvd. West, 4-6:30 p.m.Ay Cocula, 1435 Lee Trevino Dr., 5-9 p.m.
Anyone who visited any of the listed locations on the specified dates and times and develops a fever and rash should contact a health care provider immediately for evaluation and testing.
To make vaccinations more accessible, the Department of Public Health offers walk-in immunization services Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed from noon to 1 p.m. for lunch, at the following locations:
Lower Valley Community Clinic, 9341 Alameda Ave.Henderson Community Clinic, 721 S. Mesa St.Northeast Community Clinic, 9566 Railroad Dr.Westside Community Clinic, 7380 Remcon Cir.
Appointments can also be scheduled by calling (915) 212-0200.
The city’s health page to track the number of cases can be found here.
Rep. Veronica Escobar provided the following statement:
“It should come as no surprise that there is a measles outbreak at Camp East Montana. This public health crisis is a direct result of the manner in which Acquisition Logistics operates the facility: an explicit effort to maximize profits at the expense of federal standards for services such as medical attention.
“Such an inexperienced, incompetent private prison corporation does not share our community’s interests or those of the detainees. For these reasons and more, I continue my calls for Camp East Montana to be shut down and Acquisition Logistics to be investigated.”
Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox.