(Reuters) -The Texas health department on Friday reported 728 cases of measles in the state, up by six cases since its last update on Tuesday.
In Gaines County, the epicenter of the outbreak in the state, the number of infections rose by two cases to 408 since the last update, the Texas Department of State Health Services said.
With more than 1,000 reported cases and three confirmed deaths, the U.S. is tackling one of the worst measles outbreaks the country has seen.
Measles is a highly contagious airborne infection that can cause serious complications, such as pneumonia and encephalitis, and can lead to death.
The outbreak in Texas has spread to neighboring states, including New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas.
New Mexico’s health department reported 78 cases on Friday, an increase of four cases from its last update on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Shreya Biswas)
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