The measles outbreak centered in the South Plains region soared past a combined 500 cases in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma on Friday, according to health officials. Texas has seen 481 measles cases amid the outbreak that began in late January,

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.

The Texas health department on Friday reported that measles cases in the state increased to 481 from 422 earlier in the week, as the United States battles one of the largest outbreaks of the disease in the past decade.