The Texas Department of State Health Services announced the end of the measles outbreak in West Texas on Monday.

Health officials said the outbreak is over because no new cases have been reported in over 42 days, double the maximum incubation period for measles.

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“I want to highlight the tireless work of the public health professionals across the state who contributed to the containment of one of the most contagious viruses. 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,” Dr. Jennifer A. Shuford, commissioner of the Texas DSHS, said in the department’s press release. 

There were 762 confirmed cases since late January as part of the West Texas measles outbreak, which hospitalized 99 people and claimed the lives of two unvaccinated school-age children, according to the DSHS.

Gaines County had the most confirmed cases of measles, with 414. Terry, El Paso, Lubbock, Lamar, and Dawson counties followed far behind with between 60 and 26 confirmed cases each, according to DSHS data reported on Aug. 12.

“I also want to recognize the many health care professionals who identified and treated cases of a virus that most providers had never seen in person before this outbreak,” Shuford said.

MEASLES CASES REACH HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE DISEASE WAS DECLARED ELIMINATED IN US IN 2000

The DSHS warned that although the outbreak is deemed over, Texans should proceed with caution as there are still outbreaks across the continent. The department said healthcare providers should continue testing for measles if a patient shows symptoms.

The disease, which has a typical incubation period of seven to 14 days, can be particularly harmful for young children and babies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The initial symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, which then expand to include small, white Koplik spots inside the mouth and the measles rash.